The Decadent Abandoned
by VeritasDuchess
Summary: David has been looking for the right kind of girl, a decoration to adorn his pack's armor and complete his collection. Not just anyone will do and he has held out for just the right soul to take. This is a psychological thriller about a battle of wills, the need to connect and the mind games that some are driven to in order to feed their dominant needs.
1. Chapter 1

**" The Decadent Abandoned "**

**By:**

**Harley Quinn**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

_"Time takes it all whether you want it to or not, time takes it all. Time bares it away, and in the end, there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in the darkness, and sometimes, we lose them there again."_

_~ Stephen King_

The Boardwalk's duality thrived on the rise and fall of the sun, casting its players in spotlights and shadows. Foolish souls with enough arrogance to believe that this was _their_ life; the Boardwalk a setting in _their_ world. As all unpredictable pieces of a puzzle assure, what can be seen in the light drowns out the true darkness in the shadows...until they awaken and demand their rightful attention.

Throughout the day the bustle of morning joggers and tandem bikes rented from flagged stands littered the Boardwalk along with early risers, panhandlers and beach combers with their metal detectors, intent on striding their way to discovery.

By mid-day the beach filled with sun maggots, greedily soaking up the cancerous rays they could later pass off as a "healthy" glow. Shoppers huddled in the cool recycled air of souvenir shops with the Santa Carla logo stamped on anything with a hard surface and shells imported from more exotic places, all so consumers could go home with a memory they were too lazy to make themselves.

By late afternoon the sparse crowds retired for the day to put the rest in restaurants and gorge on vacation food not found in their sleepy little towns they had planned to escape for months.

The last of the water babies meditated on their boards out at sea, turning up their bronzed noses at the sight of land. They mocked the less fortunates who could never understand how to tread in the water or shred on the waves as the zen experience only they knew it to be.

It was only after the sun set over the turbulent ocean, bowing its currents to the turn of the rising moon's tide that the Boardwalk truly came to life. The awakening of nightfall brought a chill ashore that carried on the salty breeze over bared skin. The pier emptied of fishermen with heavy buckets and re-filled with poetic tendencies of hand-holding romantics.

Lines grew along the metal fences of the rides, their lights drawing in the crowds as much as the excited screams that echoed off the ticket stands around every corner. The music pumped out of the speakers to raise the exhilaration of expectation, as if ticketholders were already on a thrill ride.

The game barkers called out to every passerby, enticing anyone with a wallet, a challenge and a promise of a good deal as they rigged their booth for the tourists.

A myriad of aromas plagued the air with butter, salt and the sugary flavor of fresh-spun cotton candy on a ten cent cardboard unicorn horn. Ice machines ran into overdrive selling out cold drinks to combat the salty air on sunburned lips.

Beyond the Boardwalk lights, shadows moved beneath the pier. Paled skin reflected moonlight but felt no chill from the breeze. They too were drawn by the screams of night riders but their exhilaration sourced from a deeper well and their expectations always paid out in the game they knew they would win.

The hungry purr of their motorcycles cut new trails over uneven sand as they ascended up the wooden ramp, kicking up sheets of tiny grains behind them. No manufactured scent from the Boardwalk could match the natural flavor of heart-pumping excitement they could almost taste from a mile away. Only one drink could quench the parch of the salty air on those thirsty tongues.

Coming to a slowed stop, his black boots touched down on the hardwood, his eyes scanning the scene like the all-you-can-eat buffet it was. Flanking his sides, his brothers rolled up beside him, ever so slightly reserved behind him so as not to block whichever direction their leader would take them. They would follow him into the depths of Hell, and had already; it was a blood promise they had made long ago.

His icy blue eyes rested under heavy lids, blocking out the moving targets before him. He listened intently, stripping away the chatter, the screams and the blaring pump of the music until he could focus only on the soft hum beneath it all. An unsteady stream of the undertone baseline beat within his veins. He could hear their heartbeats, each out of tune until he tapped into the chorus of metronome rhythm. His sharp nose gently rose on the air, his strong jaw slightly wavering, as he immersed himself in its glory.

Beneath the quiet steady hum he caught hold of one beat, stronger than the rest; a lifeforce so bold that it beckoned like a siren, calling him forth. It was impossibly strong and unnatural in its mortality.

The masculine curl of his protruding lip sneered up into the corner of his smirk; a secret badge of infinite wisdom and arrogance. His mind's eye sought her out as his stubbled chin tracked her movements.

He opened his eyes, locked hard on her and ran his warm tongue across his salty lips, drinking in every inch of her. Her heartbeat was the strongest he had heard, a beacon to the Lost Boy who had finally found something new. Immortality was imprisoned by the curfew of redundance.

He had been on the prowl for nearly five years. The boys were restless for a decoration to adorn their armor. David simply wanted to complete his collection with a complimentary piece. Her lifeforce was so strong; strong enough to withstand his plan for her. Still, the night was young...but he was immortal.

Domini Morrison leaned a seemingly bored elbow on the counter of the video case, her soft chin resting on the palm of her hand. One laced boot tapped the hardwood below, steadying her heartbeat and controlling its time. Her steel blue eyes watched the tabletop rotary of sunglasses, a small vertical mirror on each of its four corners. It was the perfect reflection of the angle of her lowering hand so that she would not have to look at her goal and draw attention.

Domini slipped her slender fingers around the side of the register, eyes darting between the mirror and the aged attendant hitting on the young fiery redhead to his right he was making change for and pathetically trying to hit on.

"Oh Max," the girl giggled, eyeing his name tag.

She felt the smooth touch of each bill as one long red nail sifted through the end compartment until she closed around the stack. Domini smiled at the girl's giggle and flip of her hair, commanding the man's attention. Once Domini had her sights on the mirror's approval, and the confirmation of a comfortable grip on the stack of bills, she scanned the open store to the Boardwalk and watched the oblivious passerbys. Just as her hand began to retreat, Domini locked in on the one person on the entire Boardwalk whose attention was aimed right at her. _Busted_.

Her heart beat faster and her hand moved slower but she was still moving, even deadlocked in the man's eyes. His platinum hair caught the moonlight above, shadowing his eyes under his lowered brow. Domini did not need to see those eyes to know he was watching her. His smile as it curled into a smirk told her that he was watching everything; a silent dare just to see if she could pull it off.

If he was going to turn her in, he would not be enjoying himself so much. But who was he to challenge her? From the looks of his long, dark trench coat, the black metal between his thighs and the three misfits he had in tow, who would believe him anyway?

Domini pocketed the stack and buried it deep, kicked off the counter with the sass of her hip and strolled out into the night.

She was halfway down the Boardwalk before she felt a hand clap hard on her back. Domini tensed and turned with a pulled, tight punch. She breathed out heavily with a laugh of relief. "I should put a bell around your neck!"

The redhead grinned. "And a cuff on _your_ wrist. What the hell took you so long? I thought I was going to have to put out just to give you the time to pull it off."

Domini shrugged, "Distraction. I thought there was a problem." She shook her head, looking around at the unfamiliar faces. "Turns out it was nothing."

A look of concern proved doubtful. "Somebody see you?"

"Sable," she smiled. "We're _good_."

The girl nodded with refreshed resilience. "Alright then," Sable grinned. "So shall it be lobster or steak?" She nodded to Domini's pocket, watching her pull the stack and fan out the bills. She frowned, "_Okay_, apparently it's chili dogs and chips." She grimaced at the fan of ones in her friend's hand. "Dammit, Domini," she huffed. "Bills are placed left to right, small to big. You _know_ that."

"Yeah I _do_," she countered. "And you were on the end of the counter closest to the prize. Besides, thirty ones are better than a single twenty. It's a busy night and he probably just cashed out."

The redhead offered a compliant nod, "And more people get ones in change than twenties, I know."

"We'll be alright," Domini assured her, heading toward the closest archway leading to the town's roads and approaching a group of girls, holding up their drunken friend. "Hey," she smiled. "You all done for tonight?"

Hoisting her friend up higher on her arm as she steadied her, the girl eyed Domini. "What?"

Sable smiled, "Looks like your friend started early. Must've been a good time."

"Sure," she nodded suspiciously as her friend made a heaving sound that made them both back up a step.

Domini eyed the red bracelet on the sober girl. "Mind if we have your passes?"

She shrugged, "Why not? We're not coming back tonight." She handed over her band and motioned to the girl on the other side of their sickened friend. "Enjoy," she muttered, kickstarting the sick girl back into motion as they headed for their car.

Sable slipped the ride band onto her wrist and kept moving along. "At least we don't have to dig through the garbage for them tonight."

"See? It's a good night," Domini smiled, slugging an arm around her friend and pulling her down the Boardwalk toward the carousel.

Flashing their "pre-paid" bands to the man at the front of the line, he opened the yellow gate, ushering them in. They pushed through the turnstyle and hopped onto the carousel amongst the blaring bulbs, steel ponies and melodic music. Taking their places across from one another on their respective green dragon and black horse, they rose and fell in offset timing with the connected crank. Around and around the carousel turned, neither girl getting ahead or behind; the story of their lives.

Domini closed her eyes, her blonde hair drifting beachy waves against her sun-kissed shoulders and tickling the open back of her black tank top. She opened her eyes and for a split second she was sure she had just seen the man from the outer edge of the Boardwalk who had been her quiet accomplice. Her eyes darted through the crowd as the carousel turned but she could not find that tuft of platinum hair.

"You cool?" Sable asked, furrowing her brow.

Before she could answer, the broad-shouldered man and his misfits rounded the corner ahead, walking against the turn. Domini felt her heart skip a beat as she froze in fear, and those piercing eyes and knowing smirk headed straight for her. The four men were walking slowly but the background rushed forward in their wake, making them seem to float.

"Remember that distraction I mentioned before?" Domini said with a tremble over the music, her eyes in a deadlock with his.

Sable followed her eyeline and stopped on the gang cutting through the undulating animals. "Distraction or attraction?" she grinned.

The pack leader swung between the poles, taking his time toward his clear destination. His bright choppy hair was a stark contrast to his dark, trench coat layered over a leather jacket. A gleaming five-pointed star with a crown was pinned to the lapel above an old fashioned stopwatch. A cigarette rested above his left ear where a dangled earring hung. He looked to be about twenty-four but those eyes seemed to have more time behind them.

Two men followed him as they pushed at the riders and laughed. The one on the left had a fountain of blonde hair and looked like he may or may not have been an original member of Motley Crue. His jacket was leather but in a fashionable tuxedo style with a strange gold-coined sash on one side, safety pins on the other.

The man on the right had a curly golden blonde mane with a playful smile he couldn't stop tugging at. His jacket was patched with more colored pictures than the carousel itself. Although, if it had been adorned with punk patches like his, no one would let their children ride.

Behind them came the only one in the gang who was not as pale as the moon. He had dark flowing hair that cascaded down over his shoulders and bronzed skin from a tribal lineage. He wore a black leather jacket with the collar high, making him appear even taller. A clawing leopard draped his right sleeve from shoulder to cuff.

Domini watched as the gang moved in. Their attitudes were playful but the pack leader's eyes were cunning, despite his pivoted smirk. No one had unnerved her like that since before the girls left home. But there were no smiles back then; only scars.

As they closed in, Domini felt frozen like a doe in headlights, yet pulled like the tide to the moon. It was a level of intensity she had not been prepared for when they had set out that night. Domini could hold her own though.

The leader of the pack stood before her, eye to eye when Domini's horse rose but she was forced to look up at him with disadvantage as it lowered. He stood there, staring boldly; no words escaping that curled bow of his lips.

"You here for your share or something?" she asked, trying to keep as steady as he was.

"Share?" he smirked as his friends circled around Sable. He tossed a wayward glance to the curly blonde who was chewing the tip of his glove like he wanted it to be Sable's full lip. "Marko?"

The blonde grinned. "David."

The biker mused, "Do I share?"

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Not often. Paul?"

The rock star guy chuckled. "He doesn't play well with others. Dwayne, jump in here."

"Sometimes he plays with his food," his deep tone snickered.

Sable looked uncomfortably at her friend, unnerved by the awkward exchange. "What's he talking about?" she asked, preparing herself for what seemed like a confrontation instead of an introduction.

Domini never looked away from who she now knew to be David. She had faced enough animals in her eighteen years to know they smelled fear and a single blink was a sign of submission. Domini trained her eyes on his, a battle of wills just beginning.

"You didn't take it, you don't get to keep it," she countered, though he had not posed an actual threat; out loud anyway.

David clapped his leather-gloved hands together, clasping his hands and pointing his index fingers to his lips with a paused hush over his smile. "On the contrary. I simply wanted to congratulate you is all," he said with casual amusement. "_Nobody_ steals from Max. Not even us," David snickered, looking her up and down. "Color _me_ impressed."

She could see Sable out of the corner of her eye, unshakable, one against three. Domini eyed him carefully, unwilling to make any sudden movements, still feeling like prey in his gaze. "You followed me all the way down the Boardwalk to tip me a nod of approval?" she asked incredulously.

"If only I had a hat," David smiled, bowing slightly as her horse lowered with him. "Besides, I didn't follow you," he shrugged. "We were coming here to begin with. You just got here first." David looked to his friends with a grin before those cold blue eyes fixated on Domini again. "Call it a matter of Fate." The other men snickered in unison.

Domini nodded slowly, "I think we'll call it a night." She finally broke away from the spell of his stare. She turned to Sable and motioned toward the outer circle of the carousel.

"It's _barely_ night," David observed. "And you haven't thanked me yet."

"For?" she asked. Domini felt like she was somehow pushing her luck instead of trying to sound strong.

"I didn't turn you in. I didn't ask for a cut." David smirked, "But I believe a little gratitude is in order, don't you?"

Domini could feel her heart pounding in her chest. He wasn't saying anything particularly cruel but his arrogance demanded respect, like he was entitled to it. She felt compelled to play along, despite not wanting to.

"Alright, thank you," she conceded.

David clapped his hands together again, the leather muffling the sound. "Gratitude looks good on you, girl."

The bell rang as the ride slowly came to a stop and Domini felt the world wind down with it. This was their chance to go and she could not move fast enough. She moved to the outer side of the horse to slide down and felt two large gloved hands grip her waist, holding her in mid air for more than a moment before slowly setting her down. Chills ran up and down Domini's spine from the intimate force of strength he had held her with. She backed away a step, steadying herself against the side of the black horse.

Sable allowed Marko to lift her down and she smiled up at him with a flirtatious grin. Domini felt like they were playing out two different scenes side by side. But then, Marko and the others were not watching Sable with that death grip stare. They watched her with excited eyes.

"I want to go," Domini whispered to Sable, even though it was clear they could all hear. They were still so close.

"An excellent plan," David chimed in. "I think we should celebrate this newfound alliance." The corner of those hypnotizing lips crept up. "We're partners now."

"We're _not_ partners," she warned him.

"Well," David smiled with a cheeky snicker, "not in the Biblical sense."

Domini rolled her eyes. "We do fine on our own, thanks."

"Again with the gratitude," he laughed, ignoring her sarcasm. "Marko, is she the most grateful girl you've met on the Boardwalk?"

He nodded but shrugged. "We haven't actually met them yet, D."

David agreed, following the girls off the platform and past the gated fence. "Where the fuck are your manners, Marko?" he teased.

Hanging his head in his hands, Marko laughed. "Right! I'm Marko," he smiled at Sable. "This is Dwayne and Paul." They waved. He smiled at Domini. "And I _know_ you've met David."

The girls looked at each other, fully aware they were being played with and yet unsure of what the game was.

"Are they slow?" Paul whispered with a snicker.

David extended his hand with expectant eyes. "And you are?"

It was such a simple question, an exchange of names. But once they were all introduced, there were expectations of carrying on from there. She did not see any way of slipping away from them.

"That's Sable," she sighed. "I'm Domini."

David's eyes danced with intrigue. "Beautiful names. Beautiful girls." He held out his hand toward the cluster of motorcycles at the edge of the Boardwalk by the steps to the beach. "Beautiful night," David grinned with invitation.

Domini was not about to go anywhere with the strangers. Their pack mentality was a big red flag and there was no telling where their leader was headed.

As much as she could not take her eyes off David's unnatural good looks, she wanted to hide from him at the same time. He spoke smoothly but was rough around the edges. He had complete control and yet seemed wildly unpredictable. David looked calm but as if he was a ticking time bomb. There were far too many inconsistencies to accept any invitation from a guy like that. Domini could hardly even call him a guy when he was so obviously a man. David exuded testosterone, and plenty of it, despite his boyish charm. He possessed a youthful playfulness though. He was far too complicated and giving nothing away for free. Domini had to wonder what the price was for finding out.

She looked to Sable, sharing a silent agreement. As exciting as the men were, the girls were not prepared to go anywhere with them.

They had only arrived in Santa Carla a matter of days before and had been lucky finding unlocked motel rooms where guests had checked out early. They had showered, washed their clothes and tossed them in mid-cycle with other peoples' in the dryer. Their bags were locked in a small metal locker next to the beach at the Trolley Port at the end of the Boardwalk; a key was much lighter to carry around all day, not that they had much. But with all the luck they had had, neither was ready to push it to see when it would run out.

Sable's eyes showed she was thinking the same thing.

"_Heyyy_," David teased, looking between the girls. "Share with the class."

Domini smiled back, "I don't share well either."

He grinned with amusement but stepped closer, looking down at her. David did not blink, only stared, and focused on her eyes. She could see her reflection in his eyes he was so close. Could he see his own in hers? What else could he see there?

"_C'mon_," he said with what sounded like a challenge in his husky voice. "Let's go for a ride, _Domini_."

Surrendering control had never been her strong suit. David had enough control as it was and she felt weak in his stare. She could not concede. She had to be strong.

"Some other time, _David_," she smiled, finally feeling like she had risen to his level and regained her footing.

David's eyes widened with a flicker, just a touch, with a puzzled pause of silence that he did not shake off until his boys began to snicker with 'Oooos'.

"_Definitely_ another time then," David mused, impressed.

Marko patted the seat of his bike with a grin for Sable.

Shaking her head, Sable offered a smile of consolation. "We've already got plans."

"Not better than ours," Paul laughed.

"We have to get settled," Domini admitted.

David was still right in front of her, close enough that she could smell his natural musk mix with the leather.

He leaned in closer still and for a moment Domini thought he was going to kiss her. Those mesmerizing lips continued to lower toward her and she could not help wanting to taste them; to feel them taste her.

She should move. _Could_ she move? Did she _want_ to move?

At the very last possible moment, David turned, slightly, those soft lips ghosting across her cheek to breathe warmly in her ear.

She could feel his smile curl against the cavern of her ear as he placed his secret inside her; the ocean's breath inside a conch shell.

"Don't you _ever_ settle, Domini," he whispered. His leather-gloved finger twirled a curl of her blonde hair and tucked it behind her ear, breathing in her scent.

It was a final response to what she had already forgotten she had said. Too much had happened in the seconds after the words had left her lips and all of Domini's focus turned to David's lips.

He slowly withdrew to face her again. David simply stared, as if making sure she had heard him or, perhaps, making sure she believed him.

"Let's go, boys," he said with a smirk.

He may not be taking her with him, but that look said that he had already gotten exactly what he had come for. That look - was triumphant.

"Be careful out there, girls," David said, tipping his gloved finger from his temple to the air and climbing onto his motorcycle.

"Animals out there," Marko nodded to Sable with a grin.

Paul laughed, "Rabid ones!"

Dwayne's deep voice broke the words in two with a smile. "Every - _where_."

Domini stared at David as he watched her. Was he still waiting for her to get on?

_Last chance_.

Domini smiled, "I'll see ya around later, David."

He smirked and nodded with acceptance, but also what looked to be assuredness.

He kicked up the stand, revved the engine and pulled away, calling over his shoulder and into the night. "Around and around like the Merry-Go-Round..."

Beyond that, neither girl could make out the rest over the roar of the motorcycles and howling as they rode away.

Sable moved to Domini's side as they watched the riders tear down the Boardwalk. Once they were out of sight, she found her voice. "_What_ - was _that_?" she laughed.

Domini shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea."

"What did he whisper?" she wondered.

Shaking her head in amazement, Domini laughed, only realizing it as she said the words out loud. "He just ensured that this was _definitely_ not a one-time meeting."

Pulling to a stop far down the Boardwalk, David could think again, her pulse finally out of his earshot. He was unnerved, unraveled, undone.

"What the fuck?" Marko snickered, pulling in beside him.

David shook his head with a scowl over his curled lips. "It was nothing," he underplayed.

"Your _push_ was nothing," Paul laughed, flocking to the other side of him.

David growled a low snarl. "I'm about to push you off your ass."

The blonde looked away, turning his smile to Dwayne instead. "You _see_ that, man?"

"We all saw it," he nodded solemnly, glad he was saying it from five feet away from David.

The pack leader grimaced, wishing they hadn't. He was not even sure how it happened. There was no way she could resist his push. He had done it a million times and no one's will was that strong. She was as unnatural as he was.

"_Fuck_ that," David, growled. He spun a half circle on his bike and nearly knocked Marko out of his way as he tore back down the Boardwalk, hellbent on an answer that would not bruise his ego.

He caught the sound of her heartbeat only seconds before tracking her scent. David rode faster with a furious glare fixed on her. He could hear Domini's heartbeat quicken as she caught the sound of his bike revving in the distance and he hightailed it off the Boardwalk through the archway to the road.

David ran through the alley, jumping to the fire escape behind the King Fries building by the carousel. He ran across the rooftop, hurdling the exhaust fans spinning the scent of salted fries and apple cider vinegar. David could hear the boys running behind him to catch up but he was not slowing down until he reached the rooftop's edge.

David propped his boot up on the faux castle border of the building, looking down into the crowd, his eyes fixated on Domini. She and her friend were at the lockers not fifty feet from where he had left them, sifting through their meager bags.

He closed his eyes, hearing the boys run up behind him. "**Quiet**," he warned them.

Paul straddled one of the higher blocks of the bordered wall for a better seat while Dwayne hovered over the corner with Marko.

David leaned over his raised knee, keen eyes narrowing over Domini. He clenched his teeth, closed his eyes and put forth an effort he had never had to before. If he could not push her thoughts, he could damn well read them while her guard was down.

He closed his eyes, blocking out the sounds, the screams and the scents. His mind withdrew deep within himself to a place of absolute silence, void of all light. And he waited there for it to begin.

A small pinpoint of light flickered to life off in the distance like looking through a tunnel. The light grew closer, the images coming through, but muddled like seeing them under water. Her memories were buried deep down in the well of her subconscious. David focused harder, sifting through them like slides until a dark spot beneath all of the others caught his attention. It was burned out like an overexposed negative. That was the one he needed to see.

David tightened his eyes harder, sinking deeper into the picture until he was fully immersed inside it, a bystander in a place he could practically touch but never alter.

David could see Domini there, younger though, maybe only seven. He watched the memory through her own eyes, her reflection bouncing off the darkened oven opposite her crouched body. Her hair was shorter, her body not even on the brink of filling out. Her features were soft, the big blue eyes of a child not yet grown, a girl barely begun.

Her face was twisted into a recoiled stare, her body contorted into a fetal position in the corner of a dirty kitchen floor.

There was no audio, only pictures. The memory of sound was easier to push from a person's mind. It was the images that burned into the mind forever like a silent movie. David did not need to hear what was happening anyway. Something was causing Domini to cover her ears with bloodied hands and it had to be fiercely loud.

Her peripheral vision picked up on the old yellowed appliances, the dirty black and white floor with small diamond shapes in the corners of each tile. A rusted metal pot of boiled white rice lay spilled on its side on the floor, small grains in a steaming scatter. A simple folding table sat nearby with a sack of uncooked rice spilled out over it, two chairs pushed in and one on its side on the floor at her level.

David watched through her hard blinks, wedged in the small space between the refrigerator and the wall. She looked down at her bloodied hands that revealed no cuts. A tentative touch to her eye, where her tears streamed down her face, smeared the blood from her cheek where it was split open. Her knees had small grains of uncooked rice stuck to them while other indentations in the outline of grains imprinted into her skin, some mixed with the blood they had drawn.

David put the puzzle together quickly. He had once been a mortal with a monster of a father. He could still remember the pattern in corporal punishment of being a boy, down on his knees over dry rice. It cut the skin with the weight of his own body, making him an accomplice to his own punishment; excruciating as it embedded the skin after too long. The spilled pot was the precursor, making the punishment fit her crime.

Domini was terrified but there was nothing David could do for her but learn from her memory as he watched through her eyes.

A sudden movement in the distance caused her to shut her eyes tightly where David could see no more; only the changing light behind closed eyes, indicating she was being moved.

As her eyes shot open, David could see two large hands pulling at her legs, the meaty grip of bare arms yanking her like a rag doll across the floor. She did not look at his face. It was only the child's view of someone larger than life to her, too much to take it all in.

David braced himself, snarling with fury and the instinct to fight back, but that motive was his, not Domini's. The child's instinct was to run, to get away, to make it out alive. He loathed how feeble she felt wrapped around him.

Domini's jumbled vision turned to the floor as she was flipped over, her arms outstretched across the tiles as she clawed at them for traction that was not there. She was hurled into the air and thrown down on her back, the bounce revealing how hard she had hit.

He stared through Domini's eyes at the man above her, stubbled jowls and rageful eyes. His yellowed teeth barked at her as his fist pulled back in the air and swung hard with enough force to knock their shared view toward the opposite wall. Another blow struck from the other side, flipping her check back to press the floor.

Her small hands were flailing helplessly above her, a few times clawing at his face. Mostly she just grasped at air, all her little arms could reach.

David was snarling inside her, immobile from blocking the blows. He was imprisoned in the child just as the memory was locked deep in the teenager. David had not felt so helpless since he was a mortal so long ago.

Those plump fists bruised and swelled but continued to fly. David did not know how she was able to keep conscious at all. She was so tiny and fragile. He could almost feel her tucking herself away inside, where he was, just to be removed from the pain.

He admired her ability to remove herself from the world. It was quite an accomplishment, especially for a child. David knew there was something inside Domini he could work with. It would serve her well in their world. But at that time, there was no way she could hold out much longer.

No sooner had he thought it, the child's vision began to swim. The man's furious face began to tunnel away, like she was sinking down into the floor.

"No," David growled. "**Nooo**!" he roared, finding his own voice echo inside her.

He knew what was happening. David remembered that view and the deep darkness it led to. He traveled with Domini, sinking into the bottomless ocean's void. There was no bright light or tunnel or clouds. There was only darkness and quiet and the realization of what alone truly was.

He waited there, wishing she knew how well she would turn out. It was a part of David he thought he had left behind. Maybe that was where his search began though; why he had set out with the plan years ago on his mission in the first place. It was a need to connect, something tangible he could hold and keep - and own.

The minutes passed by like years. David waited patiently though. Domini was out there on the Boardwalk, not inside the death void anymore. This was all so temporary. He wished she had known that then.

A far away light flickered like a flame in the distance. The pull came slowly at first, drawing them forward. A bracing jolt shook Domini's vision. Soon they were being ripped toward the light as it got brighter than the sun David had not seen in such a long time. It enveloped them, blinding them until the light fragmented into shades and colors and the hazy vision of faces appeared.

Her swollen eyes could barely see, her vision darting between the strangers leaning over her, the paddles gripped in an EMT's hands and the uniformed cops in the background. Domini was safe then.

He did not need to stay with her any longer. He wanted to see Domini through his own eyes again, on the Boardwalk, strong and resilient.

There was no longer any doubt in David's mind, if there even had been since he heard her deafening heartbeat. It all made sense now, why her lifeforce was so strong; why she could resist his push. She had tasted death and come back from it. Death had no power over her. She was a fighter, like him; lost, like all of them. Domini was the one. He would _make_ her the one.

The far away bell of the carousel chimed, calling David back to somewhere he was supposed to be. The sounds began to flood his ears, a million different scents rushing to his brain. It was overwhelming how fast he was coming back.

David fell backward off the lean of his knee. Dwayne's quick hands caught him before the rooftop could. He flailed at the air, clawing and kicking as Dwayne let him go to regain his bearings.

"Whoa, man!" Dwayne cautioned.

Marko whispered, backing up in case David started to swing. "Easy, David."

It took a minute to realize where he was, shaking off the vivid images that had never truly been his own, even though he had experienced them just as Domini had. He was weakened and dazed from the expelled energy it had taken to draw so much out of Domini.

Clawing his way up the side of the roof, David looked down over the edge to find her again. She was leaned against the locker, Sable holding her up. David watched her closely, listening with keen ears.

"You okay?" Sable gasped in a panic. "What happened to you? You just suddenly started to fall."

Domini shook her head. "I just...I don't know. I think I just need to eat something." She smiled, "We've really got to start making eating a regular thing."

Sable nodded, relieved her friend was okay. "Food is good. C'mon, I'll help you." She put her arm around the girl and let Domini lean on her as they headed toward the first food stand in sight.

David felt a twinge of guilt for drawing off so much energy from the girl. He had gotten his answers though and he would not have to change his approach much to get her to trust him. The difficulty in the dance was not in him taking the lead, but in getting her to take his hand. Domini was the ultimate challenge but he was definitely up to it.

Marko watched David with a worried stare. "I think _you_ need to feed too. Just how deep in her did you go?" he wondered.

David grinned at Marko, reassuring him he was fine. "To the hilt."

Paul smiled. "What's your craving?"

He mulled it over for only a second before his smile grew. Knowing that Domini had tasted death and come back from it was a tantalizing thought. A strange respect grew inside him knowing he could conquer someone like her. She had built herself back up from nothing, growing stronger and fearless. He could work with traits like that. David could break her and rebuild Domini with his own two hands. The very idea of it made his loins ache.

He looked down over the side of the roof at Domini. "I'm gonna need my strength tonight."

"Yeah!" Paul laughed, jumping up with excitement as they all followed David across the rooftop and down to the backlit streets.

He led them through alleys of trash cans and bums, passing up the appetizers for the main course his body groaned for. David spotted her long before she saw him. Her pleather mini skirt had a zipper down the side over silky thigh highs and a pair of heeled boots. Her bodice propped up her breasts on display, reminding him of finer women from older days.

David wasted no time as he slid up beside her, pressing her to the brick wall just beyond the light's reach. He was too hard and hungry to bother with formalities but there was a menu to his madness and he enjoyed every course. David was willing to rush through it though with no time to waste.

"How much, honey?" he smirked, his eyes piercing through her as his body pressed into her.

Her breath hitched in surprise, causing her mounded breasts to heave slightly over the edge of their tight barrier. "You don't waste any time, do ya, baby?" she tried to laugh. Always in character, she wrapped her fingers around the back of his neck, caressing the soft platinum hairs as she stroked him. "No time at _all_," she giggled, feeling the bulge in his jeans as he pinned her to the wall. She was about to offer twenty-five, but the need he had told her she could make more. "Forty, baby, and I'm yours for as long as you can hold out," she smiled.

David's smirk grew. "How long can _you_ hold out?"

She laughed, having heard it all before. "Let's find out, baby."

He snapped his fingers as Marko stepped up from the shadows behind him and stuffed two twenties into the crease of her breasts, tucking it in deeply.

"Well alright then," the girl smiled at Marko. "But if we're gonna have a party, it's gonna be extra."

David shook his head with a grin, grinding himself against her. "The party's right here, sugar. He just likes to watch."

She nodded without a care. "Whatever gets ya off." She pulled David closer, standing on the tips of her heels to reach up and lick her tongue over his neck.

He could hear the soft whispers of snickers from the darkness, the boys chomping at the bit for a piece. David had more than one need though. He had been deep inside Domini, discovering all of her secrets and it made him ache to bury himself in the closest little thing he could find. She would serve her purpose and, once he was done, he would find Domini so the real games could begin.

Moving his hand from her hip down her thigh, David pulled at the zipper along her side, slowly folding back the gaudy material to expose her. She was already feigning moans and it repulsed him. She could not be more common. He would give her something to scream about.

David hiked her skirt up around her belted waist, grabbing hold of the back of her thighs and lifting her into the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, fumbling to release that pressing bulge. Once she had him free, her eyes widened with a gleam in her eye. He grinned as she gripped him, stroking him toward her as she guided him barely inside, bracing herself.

He pushed into her hard with a groan, shoving her back against the wall as he pinned her. Her legs wrapped tighter around him from his force and she was holding on with everything she had. David thrust deeper, emitting a grunt as he pumped his hips against her thighs. The way she squirmed, wrapped around his throbbing cock, made him rock harder into her.

She was gripping the back of his hair, trying to hold on but there was nowhere for her to go. David was holding her up from the inside, pushing her upward with every deep thrust. His cock ravaged her body, the feel of her warmth enveloping him. He was not even using his strength, yet.

She was moaning with vigor, for real that time. David smirked in her ear. "You warmed up yet?"

He did not wait for her to answer, not that she could have. David bucked his hips wildly against her aching thighs, driving her back into the wall until the grooves of the brick began to crumble with tiny grains of concrete sand. Her moans turned to screams and he knew it would not be long before someone heard. David fucked her harder and faster, feeling the familiar rise deep inside him as it grew with a hunger that needed to be satiated.

"S-s-stop!" she panted. "**NO**!"

David's grunting growl became a deep dark laugh as he thrust harder. He could feel her body giving way around him, splitting inside her as he broke new ground. He gripped her tighter, ensuring she could not spoil his pleasure, ripping through her and moaning as her blood flooded over his cock and he boiled over the edge.

"Hey!" yelled a man, stumbling from the back door of the bar with his friends.

David looked to his right over his shoulder, laughing as he turned back to the paling girl. "Now it's a party, baby," he cooed with a dark laugh that deepened into a maniacal growl. Daivd continued to pump into her harder as her screams weakened, blood running down her thighs as his sharp nose sniffed the sweet air.

He bared his teeth so she could see them before he had her the way she meant to be taken. He pierced his fangs deep into the flesh of her neck, sinking through her flesh like a knife through butter, letting her melt over his tongue. He separated flesh from artery, opening her as easily as that zipper on her skirt.

Marko, Paul and Dwayne emerged from the darkness, each grabbing a bite down the buffet line. Marko pulled the first man toward him, driving his fangs in so deep he ripped the flesh off in a sheet. Dwayne impaled his sharp teeth into the second man, spraying Paul as he passed on his way to the next. The man put up his arm for a fight but Dwayne tore the bone from the socket like a wing off a fly. He fed with a gurgling laugh in his throat, gnawing on tendon like a dog with a chew toy.

David felt the girl slipping away as he suckled at her throat, tearing deeper through her flesh to get to the best part. That sweet spot was like the center of a chocolate truffle, melting against his tongue and warming his throat as he finished her off, emptying himself inside her tattered body.

He stayed inside her a moment, paying his respect by gracing her with his cock for just a moment longer while he watched the last flicker go dark behind her wide eyes. David groaned, the appeased appetite after a good meal. He stood up straight and took a step back, letting the girl's body slide off his cock and down to the alley at his boots.

He turned with a satisfied grin, appreciating the work the boys were doing. David reached down, pulling up the dead girl by her long curls and wiped her blood from his cock, tucking himself cleanly away and dropping her again.

David wiped his mouth on the inside of his trench coat, making sure there was not a spot on him. He bent down, reaching into the girl's bodice and retrieved Marko's twenties.

He turned to his panting accomplices as they abandoned the boneyard in their wake. "Who's up for a drink?" he smirked, holding up the bills. "Marko's buyin'."

_**Hopefully this sets the tone for what kind of story this will be. Anyone interested in where it's going? Please let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts!**_

_**Cheers,**_

_**Harley**_


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Chapter 2 ~**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Only an hour had passed since he had inserted himself into Domini's memory but David had spent it well. They had finished their feast and leapt across the rooftops, following the two girls as they wandered the back lot of rides aimlessly. David was biding his time, waiting patiently for just the right moment, and seizing it as soon as his eyes settled over it.

Domini felt sturdy again, more like herself. Weakness was something the girl could not stomach, especially when it was her own. It was never going to be easy out there. Domini knew that. Sable had become her family though and they had managed to make it through just fine. Sometimes a person had to settle for 'just fine' in order to make it through. Things were going to get better. The Boardwalk had more possibilities than any place they had been in the past two years.

Sable kicked her foot up to the side, smacking it against Domini with a playful push. "What ya thinkin'?" she teased, feeling as if she walking alone. Sable was used to Domini drifting off inside herself. It made the walks longer though.

"I'm right here," she smiled. "Just putting together a plan."

She nodded slowly. "Alright. And what's that?"

"We need to work." That was the simple answer.

Weaving through the crowd, Sable shook her head. "I don't like that plan. Let's come up with another," she laughed. Finding a place to sleep without interruption or consequence was work enough.

"If we're really going to stay here, we're going to need more money than a few bucks here and there." The flashing lights dazzled Domini's eyes as she took in all the possibilities. "We could lay down actual roots here, Sable."

Her friend shrugged but agreed. "This was always the goal. The end of the earth," Sable smiled, watching the waves crash over the rocks of the inlet behind the rides. "But who the hell is gonna' hire someone with no I.D. or address?" she reminded her.

Domini grinned, watching the music video playing on a TV screen inside a t-shirt shop. "Somebody just as shady."

She followed her eyes and closed them when she realized what the girl meant. "No. No," she shrugged off the absurdity, driving her point home. "Absolutely not. Maybe you need more food. You're clearly not thinking straight."

"I am though," Domini insisted with a smile. "I know it's not ideal," she started, immediately cut off.

"Not ideal?" Sable choked. "That guy was _more_ than shady. He was nothin' but shadow!"

Twisting the corner of her lip between her teeth, Domini knew it would be a hard sell. "I know, but that's why it's so perfect. We can work part time, all of our shifts together, and save up enough to rent a room and eat."

"We can steal enough to do the same damn thing," Sable insisted. "And not get molested in the process!"

Domini laughed. "He can't touch you if you work for him. It's sexual harassment."

"I don't think he'd care," she shook her head. "Besides, even if he does hire us without I.D., that means we're off the books. Clearly, if we don't have I.D. or an address, we don't have a lawyer. He'll be doing us a favor in hiring us and then we'll owe him." Sable stopped short, waiting for Domini to turn back around. "And I am _not_ doing any special favors with – _Max_." Sable spat his name out with a shiver of disgust.

Domini grabbed Sable's hands, pulling her along, still walking backwards as she led her back down the Boardwalk. "Oh good, you remembered his name," she laughed. She could see Sable's eyes change with a flash of warning.

"Dom, look out," she tried to warn her.

Her back smacked hard against something so solid, for a split second Domini thought it might be a wall. Since they were standing in the dead center of the Boardwalk it was not likely. She did not need to turn around to know who it was. Domini closed her eyes tight, embarrassed.

She turned slowly with a sheepish smile. David's grin was placed just as she had known it would be. "You," she said with a lame mental smack to her forehead.

"_Me_?" David smirked with a lift of one brow. "_You_." David moved up beside her, his friends circling around the girls. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Domini, leaning down to her ear while facing the others. "We really should stop meeting like this, Domini. People will talk," he smirked.

He had a way of making her feel like an idiot, twice in the past hour. David was so calm and collected; too cool and confident. Even the way he spoke, so slow and deliberate; like he had all the time in the world and there was never any hurry. He was already always exactly where he was supposed to be, doing what he wanted to do. It was unnerving – and a little fascinating.

"Funny running into you," David mused. "Or well, really, you ran into me," he smiled.

Between having to show him gratitude and apologies, Domini definitely did not have the upper hand with him that night. She did not like the look of satisfaction it seemed to give him each time she was forced to surrender to him.

"Sorry about that," she conceded.

"I'm not," David grinned.

Sable eyed the three merry pranksters around her until her eyes settled over Marko. He was the one who had offered her the back of his bike. She had a pretty good read on people and Marko was definitely trouble; good looking and a daring mix of fun and danger. Sable turned away from him, making her intention clear. Dancing with quintessential bad boys was only fun until the music stopped.

David nudged Domini with his strong shoulder but continued to face the others, denying her his full attention. "You told me to come back around."

She shook her head. "No, I said I'd see you around later."

"Marko? What time is it?" David asked with a flat smile.

He laughed, looking up at the clock tower by the stairs to the beach. "Later," Marko grinned.

"Well would ya look at that," David smiled. "It is." He focused his eyes over Dwayne and Paul, looking to the side and choosing his mark as they pulled back and wandered off.

Paul walked a circle around a girl looking over a rack of records in a bargain bin outside a small shop. Dwayne stared down her boyfriend, a smooth push of an order relayed from his eyes to the man's. He backed away slowly, collecting Paul and circling back to the group with a laugh.

Marko leaned his bent elbow over Sable's shoulder, his grinning lips in her ear. "You ready for that ride, yet?"

A cool shiver ran down Sable's spine. He was far more tempting than the thought of applying for a job at Max's. Still, she knew better. Sable frowned at Domini's urging face and sighed. "We've got a stop to make." She rolled her eyes and put on her most sarcastic happy voice. "We're getting a job."

"Why would ya wanna work when I give ya everything ya need," Marko teased. Dwayne whispered something to Paul as they began to laugh, but they were quickly silenced by Marko's scowl. "Why don't we take a walk and discuss it," he smiled.

Sable shook her head, "We're only going just up ahead."

David grinned, "Then now we are too."

He turned on the heel of his boot, guiding Domini with a hand behind the small of her back that gently steered her with him. She quickened her pace a step, barely outrunning the touch of his hand. David frowned back a low growl, glancing back to Dwayne and Paul who nodded with confirmation that they had carried out his order. David licked his lips and cracked his knuckles inside his leather gloves, preparing himself.

Domini walked beside David toward the video store. Domini had to wonder if that secretive, playful smirk was born on the curve of those lips. David was playful but predatory and the answer to which one he was at that very moment lied somewhere tucked into that smirk. Yet he was giving nothing away for free.

David nodded. "What brings the two of you to our supple neck of the woods?" he grinned.

It was too loaded a question to shoot herself with so early. "Warmer nights, colder cash." Simple, easy; without detail. "What do you all do?"

"Do when?" he asked.

"For a living," she said in an obvious tone.

Her choice of words gave him a chuckle. "What _don't_ we do?" It was a game of cryptic answers and he would play if she wanted. "The question is, Domini," he grinned, "what are we doing tonight?"

She slowed, making him have to turn back to her as she smiled. "I don't know what _you're_ doing. But we're going in here," she said with a small laugh.

David gripped her shoulder as gently as he could while still bringing her to a halt. "That's a bad idea," he warned darkly.

Domini looked back to Sable as she drifted away from the others and walked into the shop, the three men stopping behind her. "A worse idea than wandering with strangers?" she teased. "I'll press my luck." She felt the upper hand playing back into her own as the tide turned to her favor again.

"Well hello there," Max smiled, greeting the girls. "Welcome back. Change your mind and decide it's a movie night after all?"

Sable could see right through that smile. The tall, slender man looked harmless enough but his tone dripped with the sleaze of a car salesman squeezing a lemon. He looked sophisticated but that smile was troubled.

"No, we're actually looking for work," Sable tried to smile back.

"Both of you?" he asked as they nodded. "Wonderful!" Max clapped his hands together and ushered them over to the counter. He reached over the glass case and down to the shelf, pulling two applications for them. "I could certainly use the help. I got ripped off just after you left earlier tonight," he frowned. "Another set of eyes would do me a great favor," Max smiled again. "Just jot your information down and we'll make things official."

"Um, yeah – about that," Sable said softly, looking to Domini.

She interjected, "We don't really...I mean, as far as..." Domini did not even know where to begin.

"Oh," Max said, softly with a curious understanding. "Right, well, you're not the first kids to come to Santa Carla empty handed. But, it's not often I see those hands wanting to work. I admire that," he offered. "So let's see if we can work something out."

Sable grimaced at Domini with an 'I told you so' scowl. She turned back to Max, "Here's the deal, Max," she said firmly. "We're able to work part time and we'll work hard. We can stock, handle the counter and take inventory, whatever you need – but not whatever you want."

Max appeared offended. "I hear what you're saying," he said respectably. "And I assure you I'm a businessman, strictly professional. I appreciate your forthright attitude and can promise nothing but an honest working relationship." Max's tone changed, demanding respect. "But I expect the same in return. You show up for your shifts and you earn every dollar." He paused, eyeing them both. "And you don't steal from me."

They had to wonder how many people out there on the Boardwalk were just like them, living hand to mouth and just trying to get through another day. There were a lot of young people in Santa Carla and they all seemed to be wandering without a destination in mind. But the girls were tired of moving. This was a fresh start.

"We're no thieves," Domini said with conviction.

"Splendid," Max smiled. "We'll keep things under the table. That way you get a job and earn your keep and I get a tax break and less paperwork. Everybody wins," he laughed.

His smile slowly drew under, eyeing the four men walking into the shop, handling the merchandise and customers alike. He waited until they were near the second archway of the shop. "You're not welcome in here," Max warned.

David smiled, despite the pull that drew him toward the door. He raised a brow, settling his icy blue eyes over Domini as he backed away, drifting out the door after staking his claim. The other boys quickly followed, unable to stay even if they had wanted to, which they did not.

They crossed the Boardwalk and perched on the back of a bench like crows on a fence. David lit a smoke and passed the lighter to Paul so he could make his own cloud. They waited patiently for the girls to finish up while Max showed them around. David wished they would hurry though. His mark was still wandering around in a daze, unable to find Domini.

Max frowned as they reached the front of the store again. "Look at them out there. They're not with you, are they?"

"**No**," the girls said together.

He nodded. "Smart girls. Unsavory characters lurk the Boardwalk at night. You'd be wise to keep away from them."

"What's their deal anyway?" Sable asked. Once they had gotten past his casual stuffy demeanor, he came across as distinguished and friendly.

Max glared at the smiles beaming at him, the only part of them that could cross the threshold of his store once he revoked their invitation. "I really wouldn't know. But one hears things."

"Okay," Domini said, almost laughing at his mysteriously somber response. "What do you _hear_?" she said, biting the hook he had baited.

A customer tapped her video on the counter, turning his attention. Max nodded with a polite smile, holding up a slender finger to her. "You girls come back tomorrow at five and we'll get you started alright?"

"Okay," Domini smiled. "Thank you for this," she said, "sincerely."

"Thank you in return," Max smiled. As they turned to go, he glanced back to the boys across the Boardwalk. "You have somewhere to stay, right?"

Sable nodded. "Yeah, we're good." Max seemed nice after all but she was not about to take any offer up for a cot in the back room of his shop. A guy like that probably had video cameras hidden all over the place. "We'll see you tomorrow at five. Thanks again," she smiled, hurrying Domini out the door.

As they stepped out into the crowd, Domini looked for those crows on the bench, finding it an empty nest. She glanced around, relieved. "Well I think that went well."

Sable begrudgingly agreed. "He's okay. You've got a real soft spot for the fatherly types, ya know that?" she laughed. Sable imitated Domini with a mocking tone, "Thank you for this, _sincerely_."

"Shut up!" she laughed, giving her a push ahead. "He was actually pretty cool."

She laughed with a grin, "Whatever. I'm just sayin', if you're looking for a sugar daddy I think he'd be into it."

Domini frowned, trying to shrug it off but coming off more defensive than anything. "It's not like that."

Realizing she had struck a nerve, Sable felt a twinge of regret for teasing her. "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" she smiled. "There's nothing wrong with being drawn to guys who can take care of you."

"It wasn't like that! God, Sable!" she spat, walking faster.

She hurried to keep up. "No, I know," Sable explained. "Not with him. I just mean...ugh," she groaned. "Open mouth, insert foot." She tried to laugh but Domini was already retreating back inside herself, slipping away.

She grabbed Domini by the shoulder, stopping her, making her listen. "All I mean is – you don't need somebody to take care of you. You've got me," Sable grinned, spreading her arms out to present herself like a trophy. When she got the small reaction of a laugh she wanted, Sable pushed her along again. "Besides, you've done damn well all on your own and made it this far. _Sincerely_," she emphasized.

"I hate you," Domini smiled.

"Love ya too," Sable nodded.

As they walked along, Domini could not help but feel a touch of shame. "Ya know," she said softly, "there's nothing wrong with wanting to be taken care of."

"I know," Sable said, equally as soft.

"I mean it's exhausting taking care of myself, _and_

you," she tried to smile.

Sable nodded. "I know."

She took a deep breath and released it evenly.

Thinking back on other choices she had made, Domini added, "And there's nothing wrong with wanting someone to look out for either."

Her friend did not answer that time. She did not want

to agree. She knew Domini was not talking about her. It was one thing for Domini to be out on her own and want to be guided and protected. It was another to also want to save that same person.

Sable did not even realize she had stopped until Domini had to walk back to her. "Look, Dom," she said, taking on a serious tone. "I'm only gonna' say this once, and then I won't bring it up again."

Bracing herself, Domini cocked her head, already mentally shaking off what was to come.

"You were never gonna' save him, hon," she whispered, afraid to even say such things out loud.

The girls had always talked about everything and they knew each other's stories like their own. But once the details were out there, between them, they were not discussed again and that void was filled by their friendship; formed on it in fact. Their friendship had always been based on moving forward and starting over. No good would ever come from dwelling on things they could not change. But where Domini was headed, that could still be determined.

Sable knew that Domini was slipping away the longer she talked. But she was going to get it all out before she would change the subject. "He didn't deserve to be saved," Sable said gently. "And you sure as shit don't need redemption for living after he killed himself. He was a twisted bastard who didn't care if you lived or died or even when you did both." Sable was getting angry, despite just trying to help her. "For a girl who travels light you carry a shit ton of baggage, Dom."

"Well excuse the fuck outta me," she blurted out, rising to meet her fury. Domini pulled her aside, lowering her voice so no one on the busy Boardwalk could hear; save for four lost souls in the distance, hanging on every word. "It's a little heavy knowing he killed himself because of what happened to me.

Sable scoffed, "I'm sorry, what _happened_ to you? Domini, let's be straight with each other for a minute here. He _did_ that to you. It didn't just _happen_. He _did_ that and you've been dragging that corpse with you ever since! Wake up and get a little perspective," she whispered harshly.

"Why are you being like this?" Domini snarled.

Sable took a deep breath. She had never meant for any of it to come out this way. She let her lungs fill slowly to push the words out. "I'm sorry, okay? But you've got to understand something...when you go, wherever the hell it is inside you that you go when you think about him, I'm still out here – alone." It was hard to keep the hurt from her voice. "You want to save somebody? Save _me_," she sighed. "Save _yourself_. Save somebody who fuckin' deserves it 'cause he sure as shit didn't."

Leaving the silence there a moment, Domini waited to be sure Sable was finished, because she was right. It was not that easy though.

Sable felt the quiet reach an uncomfortable state. "How mad at me right now are you?" she asked softly.

She shrugged. "Scale of one to ten?" Domini sighed. "Negative two and a half." Sable's relief matched her own. They almost never fought. They were not truly fighting then. "I'm sorry," she offered. She knew it was hard for Sable to talk about death in the first place because of her own family. It was important when her friend was willing to open the floodgates to that topic and it was because she cared so much. "I'm working on it, okay?" It was the best she could do, because it was honest.

David hung back, no interest in hearing any more of the story anyway. He had already learned everything he needed from her memory earlier. It only confirmed his previous order for Dwayne to push the man on a direct mission. David would protect her and then he would kill her. What better redemption was there than being brought back, a second time, but to live forever? The fact that she had a savior complex was just the icing on the cake. If Domini wanted, she could try to save him. She would fail miserably but he would enjoy watching her try. But before he could kill Domini, he first had to save her.

He glanced back over his shoulder. "Somebody get lost back there?" David frowned.

Dwayne looked behind him and found the man who had left his girlfriend for his mission. He wished the guy had been a more sober mark to begin with. "Nope, everybody's accounted for," he assured him, watching the dazed guy finally lock in on his ordered target.

"We alright?" Sable asked her friend.

"We're always-" Domini began, cut off by a hard shove.

"Watch it!" the jock said in his haze, eyes glazed over.

"_You_ ran into _me_," Domini said, surprised.

David watched the mark, waiting for it. He licked his lips, watching the blood boil in Domini's veins as she rose to the fight.

"Fuck off!" she snarled.

"You heard her," Sable warned.

The jock growled at Sable, even though his eyes were locked on Domini. "Somebody's got to keep this bitch on a leash," he said, shoving Domini hard to the ground.

Domini could not grasp what was happening it all came so fast. She lunged at the guy, throwing a hard left cross that connected with his jaw. It barely fazed him as he backhanded her across the cheek and sent Domini flying. She hit the ground hard, holding her knee as the blood surfaced, her throbbing cheek in her palm. Her heart raced as the memories bubbled up to the surface and she was scared enough to stay down that time.

David snarled, taking his cue and grabbing the jock by the flaps of his jacket. He lifted him off the ground as he swung him away from Domini's crouched position. Marko grabbed hold of Sable before she could get involved and held her back, against her will. David slammed the guy up against the wall hard and kept him pinned with one hand while the other drew sharply across his jaw with a sickening crack.

He grabbed the back of his neck and forced him down to his knees on the Boardwalk in front of Domini. David growled slowly in the jock's ear. "You don't - _ever_ - put your hands on a girl, do you hear me?"

The man nodded, still dazed but coming to. "Yeah," he whispered hoarsely.

David pushed him down lower in front of Domini's scrambling feet as she moved back from him. "Apologize to her. _Now_," he snarled.

"I'm sorry," the guy sputtered. "I'm really sorry, alright?"

David ripped him back up into the air to his feet and shoved him on his way. He watched the kid stumble and then run, looking back over his shoulder in utter confusion and fear.

Domini was shaking all over. What had just happened? It only took her a moment to realize that things could have been a lot worse if David had not been there, wherever he had come from.

She looked up at the concern laced on those curled lips and the gloved hands stretched out to her. Domini was shaky but she did not reach up to him.

It took him only a minute to see her blue eyes tunnel vision in her fear to his outstretched hands toward her. David had blown it as easily as he had set it up. He could not protect her with violence. Domini had already been too wounded by it. He nodded to Marko to release Sable.

"Are you alright, Domini?" he asked with feigned tender worry.

She nodded, letting Sable help her up. She looked up into his eyes. What had looked like icy blue earlier suddenly seemed blue like the center of a flame; warm. There was something beneath it all, bared and protective. If they had not been arguing in a hushed whisper before, she would have thought he had heard the whole thing. The coincidence unnerved her though, no matter how impossible.

"_Domini_?" he asked expectantly.

She took a step back, her hands retreating to her pockets. "Yeah, yes I'm okay," she nodded.

"Are you _sure_ you're alright?" Sable asked, checking her friend over, dusting her off. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. He just walked into me and started freaking out," she said, still in a whirlwind from it all. "And then David," she began, trailing off.

"Yeah, I caught that part," Sable said, eyeing him. She turned to Marko with a heated glare. "I didn't need you to-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Sable was cut off by the sound of sirens in the distance. Someone had called the cops and the Beach Patrol was bearing down the Boardwalk, parting the crowd in their haste to diffuse the situation that was already settled.

"We got company, David," Marko frowned.

David looked past Domini at the lights flashing in the distance. He grabbed hold of her hand and ran to the parked bikes not far back. He could not have planned it better. David had only set up the first part of the plan. Fate had done the rest. She had no choice but to go with him. She pulled out of his grasp and he released her hand, for the moment.

"Where are we going?" she asked with rushed worry.

David gave a satisfied smile, despite looking as if he had known all along it was never a question as to whether they would come along. "Anywhere but here," he said, watching the lights up ahead. David arched one brow over the gleam in his eye. "Unless you'd rather stay and talk to the cops, hand over the I.D. I _know_ you don't have and explain what you're doing here."

Domini knew she was leaving with David. She just needed a minute to think, time that they did not have. The sirens were getting closer. There was only one way out and it was through David.

Sensing her obvious hesitation David leaned into her, his soft stubble grazing her cheek as his lips whispered against her ear. "Say the word and I swear I'll bring you right back to this very spot." He moved in front of her, his sturdy height towering over her. There was no smirk then and his eyes were calm like the morning sea. "You have my word, Domini," he swore. "A real man's word is all he's got." He knew he had her then.

David mounted his bike and started up the engine, checking back to make sure everyone was there. He watched Marko try to help Sable onto the back of his bike. She still looked sore from him holding her back though and she climbed onto Paul's bike instead.

Sable looked to Domini. "What the hell choice do we have?"

He could see her watching her friend and then turn toward the lights as they got brighter in their race down the Boardwalk. Domini took a deep breath and let it out slowly with even release.

He could so easily pull her onto his bike and take off but David knew she had to make the choice herself. She needed that sense of control, even if it was false. David extended his gloved hand out to Domini and held it there with open invitation.

With a deep breath and a final glance back to Sable, it was decided. She reached out and took David's hand as he closed his grip around her and led her to him. She slid onto the back of his bike as he leaned down and lifted her foot onto the rear footrest peg, helping her.

David smirked, unable to contain it now that she was leaving with him. "You ready?"

Could she ever be? "Just go," Domini said, still under protest but as boldly as she could, her chin up and a flare in her eyes.

He grinned and nodded. The other men's excited snickers were drowned out by the roar of his throttle. Vibrations shook through her body as he revved with a howling laugh, watching Marko's frown as he faced Sable's back. Paul was gloating with every grin.

_Easy Marko_, David pushed with his mind. _You're going to be the one to reign that girl in. She can still be pushed even if Domini can't. You got the girl's anger up, didn't you?_

Marko grinned at the thought. _That I did._

_Keep that little spitfire on a slow burn though. She's got to pull my hellcat into the fold. They're a package deal._

Paul laughed, _Well she's ridin __**my**__ package back to the beach. So let's roll!_

David pulled foward a quick foot and stopped short, causing Domini to slide over the saddle into him, hard. He was rock solid and her hands trembled at his hips as she tried to take comfort in Sable's close proximity. David reached back, taking her hands and pulling them around him.

With a flick of his nail he tore loose her ride band and ground it into the wood beneath his boot. "I'm the only ride you need tonight. You're gonna wanna hold on real tight, Domini. I don't _do_ slow," David smirked.

Pressed against David's body, Domini felt her stomach drop out, like swinging too high as a child; that mix of excitement and fear and wondering what would happen if she just let go and flew.

She could see the police starting to ask questions in the crowd. Soon, fingers would begin to point. Domini held on tight, hiding her face in the leather of David's collar, inhaling the scent of cigarettes, whiskey and the coppery smell of pennies. It was an odd combination and yet intoxicating.

David was elated by the scent of blood on her knee. His hands smoothed their way down her bare thighs, gripping them tightly and pulling them in against his.

"Grip me with all you got, sugar," he laughed. "You're not gonna hurt me."

It wasn't David she was afraid of getting hurt. _This is it_, Domini thought. _This is the moment to look back on when you wonder how this all happened. This is where it begins. _

David tore across the Boardwalk as everyone moved out of their way. He rode down the stairs and slid through the sand, steadying the bike and taking control, the rest of the gang in tow. He rode fast and hard. Domini could only imagine that was exactly how David did everything.

And so it began.

**_Interested in coming along for the ride? I hope so. Just as a footnote, David may smell like leather, whiskey and copper but please don't ever drink and drive or ride with anyone who does. :) In fact, don't ever do anything that any of my characters in any of my stories do. They really tend to make the worst decisions. But that's where the stories always lie ~ bad decisions tend to lead to amazing stories. Cheers to that!_**

**_Xo _**

**_Harley_**


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Chapter 3 ~**

**_Thank you so very much to those of you who reviewed, added to favorites and followed! I really appreciate you taking the time to not only read but also respond. I will update as often as I can. It's so great knowing that you're out _**

**_there and wanting to read more. Thank you! Xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

David led the pack down the shore, the salty breeze spraying up as the tires ripped through the sea foam. They weaved in and out between pilings, the engines becoming louder as the sound bounced off the pier above.

Domini held on for dear life, tightening her legs against David's and pressing her chest flat against his back. She was sure she would have seen his trademark smirk in the reflection of his side mirror if the center was not broken and hollowed out. She hoped it was not from a wreck, but his complete control as a rider told her it was more likely vandals.

She felt a strange, instinctual security sitting behind David. How odd to feel safer on the back of his motorcycle without a helmet, with no one around, than she had when they first met on the carousel. Maybe it was because he had jumped in to protect her. Perhaps it was due to his promise and the sincerity of his word being bond. But there, holding onto him so tight, she absolutely trusted David with her life. Watching the Boardwalk lights get dimmer and further away, Domini realized she already was trusting him with her life.

David felt her tighten around his waist, her sweet scent permeating his coat. It had taken less effort than he had imagined it would. Everything had fallen into place, with a small push. His biggest challenge would be luring her to their side.

David had seen first hand how horribly wrong it could go. Dwayne had never been the same. He could feel his brother's eyes boring into his back, straight through Domini. He was thinking the same thing. On cue, Dwayne's thoughts linked to David's.

_You don't know what you're asking of her._

David gritted his teeth, wishing he could look back to glare at him. Wrecking his bike and killing Domini in the process would defeat the whole purpose though. He settled on a sharp order instead.

_I know what I'm __**telling**__ you. Stand - the fuck - down._

Dwayne cut the connection immediately. He knew better than to argue with David, especially once his mind was made up. Besides, David did not have Max's approval yet. And there was little chance that he would win over Domini in the first place. David was never good at keeping up his pretenses for long. He always got bored eventually and let his true self show. Arrogance was his own worst enemy.

David could feel a bad mood coming on quickly. He had to suppress Dwayne's negativity. Domini was not Tara, she was stronger. He just needed to bait her with Sable, and Marko was already all over that angle. Once he had Domini's full trust, he would have her in every way he could. Then, and only then, would he petition Max for approval to turn her.

He had to be sure she could handle it. He could feel it in his bones though, Domini would stay. She needed family and they could give her that. She would take care of the boys, and him - when he wanted it. The secured grip she had around his waist, laced fingers just above the bulge in his jeans, told David he wanted her to take care of him that night. He was not sure even he could break her down that fast though. Not to say he would not try.

Releasing one bar, David lowered his hand, sliding up her leg, leather to bare skin. He squeezed her thigh and felt her tighten her legs to his sides. David chuckled and kept his hand on her thigh, holding her close as he eased into the lean of the turn up ahead. He slowed near the entrance and parked facing the bluff, the boys right behind him.

David helped her off, leading her over to the edge and watching Domini's eyes widen from the steep drop to the churning ocean below. The waves crashed with a wild fury and he could smell the fear radiating off of her.

She backed away from the edge. "What are we doing here?" she asked.

"_Hiding_," he whispered. David extended his hand, a slight annoyance at how she left it hanging there. "C'mon, Domini," he grinned with a tease. "You've come this far. What's a little farther?"

She was starting to wonder exactly how she had made it that far at all. If it had not been for the tense situation barreling down on them, Domini would still be on the Boardwalk, with safety in numbers. Max's words still echoed in the back of her mind.

_You'd be wise to keep away from them._

She felt like the stupidest person on the planet, standing at the edge of a bluff in the moonlight with four strange men and only one friend. There were too many ways to count how quickly it could go terribly wrong.

She looked ahead at what little she could see. "There's nothing over there."

He smiled. "I assure you there is."

"You don't have a house?" she asked, wishing they had never come at all. They were vagrants, sleeping on a beach!

David laughed, shaking his head. He wanted to remind her that neither did she but he was not supposed to know that. He looked back to her with his most sincere smile. "We've got a little place just outside the elements. Some would even call it cozy," he grinned. "It's not much, but it's more than most have."

With nowhere else to go, Domini waited for Sable and then followed David away from the bluff, down over the side where the tilted boards of what was once a staircase now lay in a tattered pathway.

Domini looked back to make sure Sable was still right behind her. She looked equally concerned but she was moving forward. Maybe she was just following Domini's lead. They both knew she was not the one leading that night though.

As they approached the lower side of the rocks, Domini could see the mouth of the cave in the moonlight, construction barricades barring the entrance with warning. "I'm not going in there," she told him.

David stopped short and turned to her, about to say something that would not keep her on his side. He adjusted his tone before it even left his lips. "You're safe, Domini. I promise you."

She held back a moment longer as Dwayne struck up a torch from beside the entrance. Paul closed in behind her, ensuring she would keep moving forward. Domini felt a twinge of relief following anyone other than David. It was short lived once she realized she could not keep an eye on him when he was behind her.

"Watch your step," Dwayne warned, helping her along.

Sable and Domini followed as Dwayne lit a metal trash can of roughage and debris, lighting the cavern. He moved from can to can, illuminating each nook of the cave as their full view slowly awakened. They stopped short and let him move on alone once the room was revealed.

They looked around at the decorated shambles. It was a sunken corner of the world no one else would probably ever know about. Nets and starfish hung from the ceiling and a tapestry of the Lizard King nearly as high as the caved vaulted ceiling draped proudly with honor for the revolutionary poet. Candelabras steeped the uneven terrain as Paul lit them one by one, lighting another joint from the fresh flame along the way. What had they gotten themselves into?

David took to the antique wheelchair leftover from the old hotel, slinging his leg up over the arm and making an adjustment to the tightened space in his jeans Domini had left him on the ride over. The whore's blood was still flooding his veins, pumping to all his favorite places.

"Welcome to The Cave, darlins," he grinned.

She turned her back on him, facing Sable instead; unable to concentrate with that smile reaching for her. "Awesome," Domini said flatly. "They live in a fucking cave, Sable," she glared with a whisper.

The girl sighed, taking partial blame for them being there. "I stand by what I said before. What choice did we have?"

"I don't know," her hushed whisper snapped. "To _not_ follow four bikers into a fucking cave maybe?"

David interrupted, his smile selling his point. "Beats a jail cell though, doesn't it?"

Sable whipped around, eyeing him. If he could hear them whispering there, maybe he had heard them on the Boardwalk. It was too strange how he suddenly showed up at that very moment.

Marko grinned, reading her. "Acoustics," he nodded. "This old place tucks away sound and batters it around. No secrets here," he sang with a smile, his arms outstretched to the vast surroundings.

"Cells have guards," Domini frowned, locking her eyes on David's and ignoring Marko.

He smiled but let it die out slowly over his lips. "If I wanted to hurt you, Domini, I would not have jumped in to help you - or taken you from a crime scene with four dozen people watching you leave on the back on my bike."

"We can take care of ourselves," she said with a solid tone.

He nodded, "Yeah, I caught that." He had been quite impressed by Domini actually. David had enjoyed watching the rage rise within her, the fury building inside. She had put up a decent fight. "How's your hand?" he asked with concern.

She stretched her knuckles, feeling the pain rush through each finger. "It's fine," Domini lied.

"Good," he said simply. "And your cheek?" David raised an apprehensive brow.

It hurt like hell. She could feel the heat radiating off the start of the swell. "I'll manage."

"You _do_ manage," he approved. "Ya know, before you were down on the ground with a guy twice your size on top of you," he reminded her.

Paul grinned. "Did she thank you for that?"

David shook his head. "No thanks necessary. Her gratitude was in the acceptance of the invitation," he smiled.

Domini could see the riptide churning beneath those ocean blue eyes. David seemed to exude a believable confidence. She could not argue with his point, but it did little to calm her nerves. He had a predatory stare, even when he was smiling, and especially when he was grinning.

Dwayne passed the girls as he sat on the rim of an empty stone fountain, what was once probably the center of the old hotel lobby. The real centerpiece to the beautiful ruins was David, the antique chair becoming a throne beneath him.

An old-fashioned poster bed sat tall on a ridge of fallen slat, propping it up on display. Its' posts were strung with holiday lights and wispy sheer curtains that wrapped like ivy around them.

"Who sleeps there?" Sable asked, noting it was the only bed in the cavern.

Marko grinned, taking up by her side. "Why, you interested?"

She offered no response, or even the attention of her reaction. "Seriously," she said to David. He seemed to be the one with all the answers anyway. "Whose is it?" She could not imagine any of the men decorating it like that. It was awkward in its placement and haunting in its single feminine touch to the contrast of the cave.

Dwayne removed his boot, shaking a piece of gravel out. "Nobody sleeps there anymore," he said softly.

David frowned. "He means it's as old as the hotel. It's just always been there. The old place fell into the ocean. Poor designing, building it on the fault line. The whole place is tucked away with empty rooms, some caved in, others untouched. It's a twisted labyrinth inside and nobody wanted to get lost like we did. It _begged_ to be claimed," he smiled at Domini as she turned away.

David glared at Dwayne and tightened his jaw. They had gotten lucky to not have her ask a follow-up question. _Whose side are you on, boy?_

There was no need to answer but he offered it anyway. _Ours, man. She asked. I was just being honest._

His dark grin was no match for the tone in his mind. _Do you want __**me**__ to get honest?_

_I'm good,_ Dwayne assured him.

_See to it you stay that way. _

He had no patience for warnings that night. Dwayne's sulking had taken on a new tone ever since David had proposed the idea of bringing a new girl into the fold. Now that he had finally found her, he needed his brother to get on board quick.

_That little bitch didn't do you any favors so stop mourning her like she did and remember her for what she was. An ungrateful bitch that didn't deserve to make your fucking bed much less lie in it with you._

David had a pack to lead and would not allow Dwayne to do this to himself any longer.

_Love is not what you remember it to be either_, he warned him. _Companionship is all there is now. And I'm offering to share_. David raised his brow along with the corner of his smirk and waited for Dwayne to laugh. _There we go. Welcome back_.

Dwayne looked over Sable and Domini, admitting how well they would probably fit into the fold. It was just never that easy. Girls brought complications. David had bided his time and waited for them though. He was good at picking and choosing. He had hand-picked each one of the brothers. Sometimes David got it right. Other times...

"You're bleeding," Dwayne said softly, focusing in the beautiful sight and trying not to smile.

Domini looked down at her bloodied knee. There were too many other things to take in and she had practically forgotten about it. She did not want to ask David so she asked the room, "Do you have a first aid kit or anything?"

Paul nodded, setting off. "Yeah, I'll grab it."

"Really?" She had thought it had been a useless question but one she had to ask.

Spinning on his heel, Paul turned and headed back, settling beside David on the edge of the fountain. "No, we squat in a fuckin' cave," he snickered.

Domini sighed, leaning down and pulling her knee up to examine it. Dwayne moved silently across the room, wetting a piece of cloth in what looked like a natural well, fed by the ocean. She reached out for it but David interrupted with a clap of his hands.

He had fed more than the others and he would not trust Domini to anyone but himself, for the time being. He held his hands open as Dwayne tossed it to him. David eyed Domini beckoning her with his smile.

"Toss it here. I got it," she said.

He shook his head slowly, the curl immobile on those lips even after his smile faded. "I want to get a better look at that cheek too."

She looked around, hoping for a grand old mirror that had survived the destruction. No such luck. She made her way over, unwilling to appease him completely. Domini lifted her leg, stomping her boot hard to prop it against the seat of the wheelchair between his legs. She leaned down over her thigh, making sure David could see the strength behind her stable eyes.

He grinned, slipping his leg down off the arm of the chair and squeezing his thighs around the sides of her boot. David kept his eyes on hers, meeting her challenge as he slowly removed his gloves, holding them up.

Marko retrieved them and set them on the fountain ledge beside Sable, sitting down with her.

David folded the wet rag, wrapping his hand around the back of her calf, as he dabbed at the drying blood on her knee. He watched Domini for signs of pain, knowing it was there but she was holding back, putting on a good front.

Trying to keep her face blank, Domini watched him as he tended to her knee. He was gentle but his bare hand against her skin sent a shiver down her spine. It was like an electric current running through her.

"Sorry if my hands are cold," he smiled.

She shrugged. "Cold hands warm heart, right?"

He grinned. "Sure."

Marko chewed on his lip, moving to straddle the fountain and face Sable. "Did you get the job?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, watching David to make sure Domini was alright.

He smiled, "That's good." Marko had finally caught on that he was not going to win Sable over by blatantly hitting on her. She had a subtle way and he would adapt to it. "You ever need a ride or anything, we're on the Boardwalk most nights."

"Thanks," she said, offering a half smile. Sable supposed she could not hold it against the guy that he had held her back from a fight neither girl was going to win on their own, or even together. "At least we'll have some money coming in. And the guy's not as bad as we thought."

Paul laughed. "Give him some time."

Domini watched David carefully. "So what's the story there?"

"Persona non grata," he snickered, gently cleaning her knee from the last of the blood. It took all of his strength not to lick her wound clean but the rag would have to do. "No reason. Just a butting of heads I guess. He thinks that because he's got a place on the Boardwalk that he owns it. We disagree," David smiled.

"What about your story, Domini? How 'bout we just start with your name. Unusual, isn't it?" He lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke away from her as he cupped her chin and turned it toward the firelight to examine her cheek.

She shrugged. "Not especially. It's short for Dominique."

David let out a sharp breath that was squeezed from lungs that no longer needed it. "Latin," he frowned. "'Of the Lord'." He took a long drag off his cigarette, masking the bad taste the last word left in his mouth.

"Yeah." She was surprised he would know a dead language. Domini felt more at ease with David when his lips were not curled with power. Perhaps he was still in control of it all. She had never revealed so much to a stranger and could not be sure why she doing it then either. Maybe because if she revealed something about herself than David would too.

"I went to an orphanage as a kid before I started getting fostered around and they felt like a fresh start deserved a new name." That was the shortest version Domini was willing to share. "The nuns thought I was a miracle or something." She almost chuckled at the absurd idea of it.

"Maybe you are," David mused. He traced the pad of his thumb over the swell of her cheek, noting how she did not flinch; flattered by her attempt to keep up with his calm demeanor.

She shook her head, pulling back from him and setting her foot down on the ground. "I don't believe in miracles. What happens does and, what doesn't, isn't meant to be."

"So you believe in Fate," he noted curiously.

Domini thought about it for a moment. "I believe that some people are meant to drift into your life for a reason." Not wanting David to think she meant him, she added, "That's where I met Sable." She turned back to her friend with a smile, glad she was there with her.

"You were a foster too?" David asked, amused by the family they had created in one another. He understood that well.

"Where's _your_ family?" Sable asked, ignoring the posed question and turning it around instead.

He nodded to Marko. "You've already met them all."

Marko smiled. "We make our own family. Provide for each other. We look out for each other."

Sable wished she had not smiled back but there it was. "And you just go between here and the Boardwalk?"

He nodded. "Everything we need is right there. Or here," he mused.

"What do you do for money?" she asked.

Paul jumped down off a rock offering her a hit off his joint, shrugged when she refused. "Well, _I've_ got a trust fund."

"You do?"

"No," he laughed, frowning and wondering when they were going to catch onto his sense of humor.

Marko smiled, taking his joint. "We make do, same as you. I mean, before you went legit and got a _job_," he grinned.

David's eyes roamed to the ocean's well as Dwayne followed. He retrieved a six pack of beer and brought it to him. David took one and looked to Domini.

She shook her head, wanting to remain alert. Small talk did not make David any less of a possible threat. His narrowed interest in her was flattering. She could not deny that. He was unnaturally handsome. They all were. And David had not done anything to hurt her. He had saved her in fact. His confidence was unshakable though and she had to wonder why.

Without being able to push her, David was relying on her at least having a drink to let her guard down. She was being uncooperative and it did not sit well with him. First he would get a beer in her hand. She would drink it eventually.

He extended his hand as Dwayne handed him another can, cold from the ocean's natural temperature. David reached up, holding it against Domini's cheek. "You can't show up on your first day with a black eye," he smiled. "What would Max say?"

There was a shift behind David's eyes. That turbulence swirled as he arched his brow, giving him away. "What would Max say about _you_?" she countered, riding with his changing tide.

"He'd say, Domini, have a drink with David. Relax," David grinned.

Marko held Sable's eyes in his gaze. "You should have a drink too."

She took the drink without even thinking. It was not until she took a full sip that she realized she was doing it. Maybe she was just tired.

"I don't need a drink," Domini frowned at David, wondering why Sable had taken one. At least it had been a closed beer and nothing could be slipped into it. "And you probably shouldn't either," she told him.

"And why is that?" he smiled curiously.

"Because you're taking us home," her firm tone reminded him.

"Now?" he asked expectantly, put off by her order.

Domini was starting to get the feeling that might be a good idea. She looked to Sable for help but found her still staring at Marko. She did not know what was going on with her friend but someone had to be the voice of reason.

"Yeah, we should get back."

David sat back, taking another sip. "I don't think that's such a good idea," he grinned darkly. "I've been drinking. According to you, it wouldn't be safe."

Lowering the cold beer from her cheek, Domini's feeling of uneasiness grew. "You've had two sips. I'm sure you'll be fine." Her tone was as firm as her stance before him.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I wouldn't want to put your life in danger. I mean really, Domini," he smirked. "How many times tonight am I gonna' have to save you?"

"Once was enough," she glared.

He frowned. "We just got here, Domini. You haven't even sat down. I think I've been a gracious host, don't you?"

There was no right answer that would allow her to still leave right then. "Yes, thank you," she conceded. "But we have to work tomorrow and it's already been an impossibly long day. We need to crash."

David was not giving in to her. He glared back, "You're in a fucking hotel, Domini. You can have your pick of the rooms." He knew he was losing her, if he ever even had her on the line. David grinned anyway, throwing it all away for spite. "Unless you wanna' share."

She was starting to realize just how far from the Boardwalk they had ridden. It would take all night to walk back. She needed him. But it was not worth it. He had gone back on his promise and there was nothing left in those eyes that had turned back to ice. Still, she made a last ditch effort to appeal to his senses.

She said it with a plea. "You _promised_, David."

He watched her, trying to figure Domini out and wishing he could read her again. She was far too aware and in the moment; a tense moment he wished he had not created. David knew he should have remained unassuming but it was too hard to keep the pretense up.

"That I did," he frowned. "_Fine_." David got up from the chair slowly and stood before her, a looming force. "If that's what you want, Domini."

Her breath hitched in her throat but she found her voice again. "Thank you," she said softly, feeling small in front of him.

"My pleasure," he smiled, watching Marko behind her as he worked Sable over. "I gave you my word, Domini. And I'll honor it," he lied.

She smiled softly; glad it was not going to be a fight she would not win. "Sable?" she called, turning back.

As Marko looked away from her, she snapped to. "Yeah. What?"

"We're going," she said, wondering if her friend had even been listening.

"Okay," she nodded, getting up. "Can I get a ride?" she asked Marko.

"_Hell_ yeah, girl," he smiled.

David turned to Dwayne and Paul. "Stay put. We'll be back."

"I'm a little thirsty," Paul grinned.

He nodded with a smile. "We'll bring back you a nightcap."

"Aces!" Paul laughed, kicking his feet up on the ledge and settling back in his chair.

David looked to Marko who shook his head, needing another minute with Sable to finish.

Dwayne sat quiet in the corner. He looked up to the girls, his dark eyes filled with wonder. "Are you comin' back again?"

David turned to Domini and masked his face with what he imagined would appear gentle and hopeful. He let down his guard as much as he could, drawing her in as much as she would let him. David waited there, hanging on her watchful stare, begging her to look inside him and see something, anything that would keep her coming back for more and undo the damage he had most likely already done.

Domini was not sure what to say. If she said no, she would lose her ride home. If she said yes, somehow she felt David would know it was a lie.

Domini searched David's face for something she could read. A small part of her wanted to reach him in some way, discover why he was so illusive and detached. What had he been through to make him so closed off and yet interested in her? She knew David had a story and it had to be a long one. She could not help wanting to hear it.

David stopped her before she could answer either way, pulling her aside, holding her shoulders and keeping her attention so Marko could finish. David softened his stare and mustered as much vulnerability as he could manage to portray. David looked down into her eyes, keeping her right in front of him as he whispered. "Why are you so desperate to keep me away?"

She was stunned into complete silence, no thoughts coming into her head at all. "What do you mean?"

He had to hide his enthusiasm for reeling her back in so quickly. She was all in. David tried to mirror the sadness in her eyes, hoping it came across as gentle and sweet. "I just want to know you, Domini. Why won't you let me?"

She shook her head, having to look away from him just so she could think. "I don't...I just..." Domini was thrown by his sudden curve. She was not the one who was closed off at all, was she?

"I'm listening," he whispered, drunk on how well he was playing the part.

Domini bit her lip, the ache in her cheek resenting her flush. "I just - don't know you," she finally said.

David lifted her chin so she had to look at him. "Do you still want to?"

It was out before she could realize how honest she was being. "I don't know."

Smiling, he was not at all offended. "At least you're honest."

Staring up him, Domini wished he had been reachable like that all night. "Will you be honest with me?"

"I'm not easy to crack," David grinned. "But if you're willing to try..._I'm_ game," he lied.

She smiled, unable to keep up with his changing eyes. "You know where to find me then." Domini nodded, answering Dwayne but telling David. "Alright, we'll be back."

Dwayne smiled. "Bring friends." He watched her smile and wave, a nod of completion signaled from Marko behind her.

The ride back was far more comfortable than the way there had been. Domini felt like a wall had come down. She knew no one could be so cool and collected all the time. Domini had to believe that deep down, inside everyone so closed off, there was a redeemable quality, a need for absolution. She was honored that David had exposed it. She never would have seen him again if he had not.

Domini had worked too hard to regain control in her life to let someone take it all away from her and David's sudden mood change was a dark storm on the horizon. She would need to be wary, but there was definitely something there she wanted to reach inside him. Domini was grateful in the strangest way. She held onto David tighter because of it.

He grinned, feeling her tighten around him. He felt he should have gotten an Academy Award for his performance back there. It would be difficult to maintain his temper and he was doubtful he could surrender control in any way. He would try though. Domini was the one and he would do whatever it took to try to sway her to his side. And once she was there, he would keep her.

Returning her to the Boardwalk as promised, David had no idea what to say. Was he supposed to kiss her or something? Because although that was easily in his realm of familiar territory, a soft kiss was not. It had been a long time since David had been uncomfortable in any situation and he ached to feed, just to rid himself of it. If he was going to continue, David would have to have balance. He would feed twice as often; just to shake it off of himself. It made his plan all the more enticing.

Stilling his engine, David kicked down the stand, climbing off to help Domini down. The lights along the Boardwalk had gone dark for the night and it was eerily quiet.

She was about to say goodnight when Max stepped out from his store onto the otherwise empty Boardwalk, an umbrella in his hand despite the clear night. A feeling of fear shot through her like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. She felt uncomfortable without really knowing why. She did not owe Max any explanation. He had offered her a job, nothing more. The look of disappointment in his eyes hurt her though.

"Hey Max," she said quietly as he slowly approached.

David leaned back on the saddle of his bike, lighting a smoke to illuminate his smirk. "Max," he nodded.

The tall, slender man did not say a word. He looked from Domini back to Sable, ignoring the boys. "I thought you weren't familiar with them," he said, keeping his tone in check.

David grinned, "They weren't before. But they are now."

Sable glanced to Domini, feeling like they were stepping into the middle of something that had started long before they arrived in Santa Carla; and it was about to turn ugly.

Max curled a finger, "May I speak with you for a moment, gentlemen?" He stepped away, not bothering to wait for an answer.

Marko bit at the tip of his glove, trying not to smile. "Wait here a second," he grinned to Sable.

David walked away without a word, joining Marko's side as they slipped into the shadows with Max by his store. The girls could not hear what they were saying but it was a tense conversation.

Even in their unnaturally hushed tones, David growled, "I ask for _nothing_!"

Max snarled back, "You ask for nothing because you _take_ everything you want. My answer is no." He straightened his jacket, slipping his hands into his deep pockets and retaining his composure. "Do you think you're so special that you're the only one who can hear that heart? What it wants?" he smiled. "I've been around eons before you, David," he laughed. "I made you what you are, you foolish boy."

David's jaw tightened, desperately trying not to overstep his boundaries for once. "She wants to be saved and I can give her that. You know how long I've looked for the right girl to bring in. Let me _do_ this," he snarled.

"No," Max said simply. "And I'll tell you why," he smiled. "I've built a family here, David. And you're right about them both, they will add an unparalleled dimension to our fold." Max frowned, "But I won't have you fucking your sister, David."

"Sister?" he scoffed. "Nobody here needs another sibling, Max. We're tight. What we want, is someone to have a little fun with who won't bleed all over the cave floor when we're done. We want someone who's indispensable. And it's her." He felt Marko nudge his arm. "It's _them_. We can get Sable to draw Domini in. Let us _do_ this. If _you_ turn them it won't be the same. I want her loyalty to be to me. I want something of my own," he growled defiantly.

Max shrugged, "Then go off and start your own family. Oh wait," he grinned. "You can't. Because I own you. All of you," he reminded Marko. "I sired you and you're bound to me. And my answer is no."

David tossed his cigarette and crossed his arms like a petulant child. It suddenly dawned on him that Max was putting up a fight when he did not need to. "You're scared," he grinned.

"That's preposterous!" he laughed. "Of what?"

David smirked, "Competition. You don't think you can have her if I'm in the way. Marko's already got a lead on Sable and he's halfway home. You _need_ us to stand down," he gloated, finally catching on.

"Your absurdity is overwhelming," Max shook his head. "But I'll tell you what, boy. If you think you can sway her, you can have her. Marko," he nodded, "I'll extend you the same courtesy. _But_," he challenged with a darkness in his voice, "If I get to them first, you fall in line like good boys and you keep the hell out of it."

David emitted a deep chuckle. "Deal. But if you think Domini wants a daddy more than a lover, you're a bigger fool than you've ever played."

"And if you think she wants to be dominated more than she wants to be taken care of, your youth is showing," Max smiled. "Well boys," he clapped his hands excitedly. "I believe we have a wager. Winner take all," he grinned, strolling past them with a winding swing of his umbrella and using it as a walking stick as he strolled over to the girls.

"Relax girls," Max smiled. "No one's in trouble. I just wanted to know their intentions. I expressed to them how much I want you to succeed here. I don't think they grasp that you're more than the other girls on the Boardwalk who wander into this town." He gave them a gentle nod. "I see something promising in you two and I'm going to invest in you. I'll help you in every way I can. Don't let me down," he smiled.

"We'll be there tomorrow at five," Domini promised. She almost felt like she should apologize but there was absolutely no reason to. Still, the nagging feeling was there.

Max tipped his fingers to his head, "Goodnight, ladies. Don't stay out too late. Long, busy night tomorrow."

Sable gave Domini a quizzical glance and tried not to laugh. "Goodnight, Max."

He walked off in the opposite direction as they joined the men. "What just happened?" Sable laughed.

Marko shrugged. "Old man is off his rocker," he snickered.

David dismissed it all, facing Domini. "Do you really have somewhere to go tonight?"

She smiled at his concern. "We're good. Thanks."

He nodded, knowing she was lying. "Well if your plans fall through, the rooftop over King's Fries has a fire escape. Nobody goes up there and you'll be left alone. The boys have slept one off up there before," he grinned. A hint of warning followed. "Just be careful. Anything goes wrong..." David trailed off. He would never be able to hear her from so far and even if he could, the sunlight would never allow him to come. "Well, I know you can take care of yourself," he smirked, cupping her cheek gently and tracing his gloved finger across it.

"Thanks," she smiled.

Marko grinned at Sable. "So I can look for you tomorrow night?"

"Yeah," she nodded, not quite sure when she had decided she was even interested in Marko. "I'll be here. _Working_," she groaned with a laugh.

He nodded. "Then I'll be here. Waiting," he smiled. "Have a good night. Be safe, Sable." Marko leaned into her, whispering, "Take good care of her."

David held the back of Domini's head and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "And you take care of her." They walked away, leaving the girls in their wake without so much as a second glance.

_You get the locker key?_ His thoughts smiled.

_She handed it right over. Doesn't remember a thing. While they're at work, we'll take everything they've got._

_Sable on board?_

_It was easy_, he smirked. _One night on the rooftop and she'll demand the cave. She won't take no for an answer. I made sure of it._

_Bravo!_ David smirked, revving the engine and pulling off, knowing Domini wanted him to look back. He denied her, just to leave her wanting more.

**_Anyone else want more? Let me know your thoughts._**

**_Xo_**

**_Harley_**


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Chapter 4 ~**

**_Thank you all so very much! I truly appreciate your kind words! You made me blush with your support and I am so grateful. It means the world to me that you are not just reading, but reading well into the story and it's amazing to hear what you have found there. Thank you for sharing your insights with me in such beautiful depth! And thank you for the note on my quotation slip. I'll have to find it as I hate to leave something like that unedited. I hope to give back to you all in return. You've inspired me to write with a feverish fury and I hope this will appease you for the moment while I get to work on the next chapter. Thank you!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

David strolled into the cave with a blonde on his arm, Marko close on his heels with a dark-haired beauty. Strippers were easy to pick up after their shift in town. They were about the only people out at the end of the night, save for the hungry kids who were less trusting. Girls still wired from the drugs it took to put on their show were a dime a dozen and always willing to make an extra cut they did not have to share with the House.

Staring at the peculiar environment, the blonde, Amber, took it all in. "You weren't kidding when you said it was a Bachelor's Hideaway."

The boys looked to the dark-haired girl, sadly named Trixie. Poor girl never stood a chance. It was like naming your son Jeeves and not expecting him to be a chauffeur.

She was a little strung out but ready to go, flashing a smile. "So who's the groom-to-be?"

Paul jumped off the couch with a hungry grin, but David pointed to Dwayne. "That's him over there. His last night as a bachelor," he grinned. "Give him a good show, girls."

Paul shrugged and grabbed his rock box, turning it up loud and giving the girls something to move to. Dwayne sat back on the couch, holding out his hand and leading the dark-haired girl over his lap. David sat down in the old wheelchair and slung his leg over the side, getting comfortable as he watched the girls working together over Dwayne. He knew his brother needed the distraction and David was always up for a good time.

He watched Paul and Marko work their way into the mix, wishing they had had more space on their bikes to bring back a third girl at least. The boys did not mind sharing but David enjoyed providing for them. His satisfaction came in knowing they were always well taken care of, just as they looked out for him.

David knew he could be demanding but he made no apologies for it. He had never set out to run the family. They had elected him and he simply filled the position with natural leadership. David was the one who had brought them each to Max. He had chosen them, seeing purpose and raw quality in each of their mortal eclectic personalities. David never regretted any of those choices, ever. He did not regret anything often at all.

Watching the girls dance though, David felt a boredom come over him. His mind wandered to the girls they had left behind, wondering if they would be alright for the night. He could not have anything happen to either one of them or everything would be ruined. Now that he had found Domini, he was not about to let her go. It had taken too long to find that curious mix of life and death coursing through her veins and he longed for even a sip of it, to make it a part of him.

Max could not win this time. There was far too much at stake. It pleased David that the man was nervous. It meant there was a good chance that David would get exactly what he wanted without interference. Max would put up a good fight though. He knew that. David was now battling both Domini _and_ Max. One he could win over. The other, he would just have to beat.

Marko let Paul have second seat, offering his lap for Amber to dance over. He had been enjoying warping Sable's mind and it only seemed fair that he allow his brother to have first dibs on the night's entertainment. He stayed close by though, propping himself over the arm of the couch and benefiting from the view.

Reaching his hands up but holding them in the air, Dwayne waited for Trixie to give her permission. Half of the strippers they ate had strict rules; no touching, touching but no sex or fucking but no kissing. The boys had very few rules and none of them ever hindered having fun. Still, he showed his meal a modicum of respect, just to say he did it.

She took his hands and pinned them down at his sides as she gyrated over his lap. Dwayne frowned, wondering how high the girl really was to think she could dance into a cave with four men and expect them to behave. He reached a suave hand up, cupping her breast and giving it a strong squeeze. The girl pushed his hand away a second time as he chuckled at the uneasy smile he had caused on her supple lips.

While Amber ground herself into Paul, he smacked her ass with a snicker, looking up at Marko. "Right?" he laughed, sharing an inner thought the girls were not privy to.

"Ohhh yeahhh," Marko grinned, watching her confusion.

Growing more uncomfortable, Amber twisted to the music and danced her way over to David, partly to draw him in, but also to keep the other boys' hands in line. "C'mon, honey. Don't you wanna dance?" she teased, working circles around him and sliding against every part of him she could reach.

David's grin grew watching as she rubbed her tight little ass over the bulge in his jeans. "I don't dance, sweetheart," he smiled, lighting up a fresh smoke.

"I'll bet _I_ can get you to move," she smiled. He was the only one in the room who had not tried to touch her. Pushing her boundaries, Amber tucked her leg over David's propped thigh on the arm of the chair, centering herself over his lap in a scissor kick. "I can feel how turned on you are," she whispered to him. "That bulge is giving you away."

He snickered, motioning her closer with his finger as he placed his lips against her ear. "You're not turnin' me on, sugar. That's just the way I'm made."

Amber leaned back, looking down between them with wider eyes. "Oh," she said softly, impressed. Since she was not getting the reaction she wanted though, Amber moved back to Paul and Marko. They were handsy but at least they played along.

More than happy to have his snack back, Paul reached for her and welcomed her over his lap again. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking his hands down into the spandex of her little shorts and cupping her ass.

"Hey," she teased but with a firm tone. "Hands where I can see em'."

He looked up to Marko, who nodded. One glance at Dwayne and it was agreed. Paul shrugged and laughed. "You got it sister." He grabbed hold of each breast like they were handles and pulled her to him, baring his aroused fangs and sunk them into the soft fleshy skin over the triangle of her bikini top. She screamed, thrashing over his lap as he drank from her.

"What the fuck?" Trixie screamed.

"No time for that," Dwayne laughed, spinning her around so she faced him as he bit into her side.

Marko pulled up his boots, perching on the arm of the couch and cheering them on while David took slow drags between his smirking lips. The oldest boys had always been the more visual-minded of the group anyway.

Desperately trying to pull away from the vice grip of Paul's jaw over Amber's breast, she kicked against the couch, throwing herself back on the floor with a hard thud.

He spit out the chunk of meat she had left in his teeth and rose to his feet, swaying his hips with a smile. "Whatever girl," he laughed. "Tasted like silicone anyway. Let's try another angle." He leapt over her, pinning her to the floor with his body. "Can ya still see my hands?" he cackled, gripping her thigh and ripping his teeth into her.

Marko descended over the torn top half of the girl, nestling his fangs into her stomach. They fed with voracious appetites, her screams like ecstasy in their ears.

The dark-haired girl writhed in pain over Dwayne's lap as she convulsed against his thirsty lips. She careened her body backward, trying to pull away. He yanked her forward, his knee behind her back as it cracked her spine like a twig. She fell in an awkward back bend as he continued to feed from her immobilized broken body, laughing into the spray of fresh blood.

If David had still had a heartbeat, he did not think it would have risen at all. He continued to take slow drags, enjoying the scene as an observer and letting the boys play with their food. He could not imagine the agony the girls must have been in but the blood was so much sweeter once the floodgates opened and pumped over their tongues. David could enjoy it through his brothers just the same.

Marko raised a bloody grin, eyeing David on his throne. "Not hungry?"

He smiled. "I'm _always_ hungry. Just bored," he mused, blowing smoke rings into the dark air and a steady stream of smoke like an arrow to cut through the bulls' eye.

A snicker emitted from Paul's full mouth around Amber's thigh as she howled in terror. "C'mon, David. Come down and play," he begged.

The man shook his head slowly, never losing his smile. "You go on ahead. I've still got whore on my breath."

Paul shrugged holding the girl to the ground with one hand while Marko took sips here and there. "So what? I'm still drunk off the barfly's blood alcohol level," he laughed. "You really gonna' make us eat alone?" he pretended to frown, unable to as his smirk broke through.

David shrugged with a laugh, thinking of Domini. She would never just lay there screaming. She would fight tooth and nail, punching, kicking and biting. The thought of Domini biting him aroused every layer of David's interest.

"Well, maybe just a nibble," he growled with a hungry grin.

Marko knew exactly what David wanted as he nodded to Paul, who sat back on his heels.

Striking her terrified eyes from one man to the next, Amber knew the monsters were only playing with her. They had backed up a step but there was no way she was getting out of there alive. If it was a chase they wanted though, she would give it to them. She did not want to die in that tomb. Amber would rather die under the stars where God could see her, maybe even save her. It took her only half a second to take in the sight of Trixie's body folded in half backwards while Dwayne fed on her bent remains to send her spiraling to her feet and stumbling for the door.

"How 'bout that dance, now, sugar?" David laughed as she ran past him as fast as she could.

The sound of hollow laughter echoed through the cave behind her; the mouth of that cavern wide open like their own. She did not know what they were and it no longer mattered as her feet felt the cut of rock beneath them turn to smooth cold sand. It was like running in a dream, digging in deeper with every push. The nightmare was real and Amber knew she would not get far before it was all over. She just wanted to get as far as she could.

David took a last drag off his cigarette, curling his lips around the exhale and flicked it off into the barrel of fire. He rose to his sturdy feet with a smirk as the boys began to howl and cheer him on with whooping hollers. Dwayne tossed the empty meat sack to the floor and joined in the chanting as David slowly wandered toward moonlight.

He stood at the edge of the dilapidated bridge, watching Amber cut a path through the sand in the far off distance. It would be so easy to fly across the stretch of empty beach and swoop down like an owl over a mouse, a vulture to an animal that had not yet accepted it was dead. David grinned, done with easy. Domini had struck up the fight in him and he was aching for more challenge.

Jumping to the beach below, David started off in a saunter that escalated into a run with animalistic grace. He stalked the trail of bloodied footprints in the sand, tracking her scent until he could see her in the night, even before the moon could find her from behind its clouds. David moved faster, his boots crushing the sand until he was running so fast, he could no longer even feel the earth beneath them.

Amber was only a few feet away, fleeing for her life as if there was still hope. David lunged forward, tackling the girl as they rolled over one another through the sand. Her screams were swallowed by the heavy crash of the rising tide and the snarling fury of David's laugh.

He filled his fist with her hair, the blood turning her from a bleached blonde to a redhead from all of Marko's appetizer bites to her throat. He yanked her hair backward; straining the taut flesh of her neck as the moonlight glistened, reflecting her blood. His eyes fixated on the straining vein, so defined against her elastic throat. She thrashed in his hands but David held her in position, delighting in her fear.

"You wanna' see _true_ amber, sweetness?" he cooed. David swung her to the side so she could see his amber eyes in the moonlight, soft flecks of honeyed red and golden wheat showing off his hunger.

Amber screamed unintelligible words, even to herself. Her fragile, fractured mind could not comprehend what she was seeing, feeling as her blood continued to pour from open wounds. "_What are you_?" she shrieked, needing to know, even if for only a second, before she died.

David smirked, licking at the razor sharp point of his fang. "I'm the man your mama warned you about." He watched her terrified eyes glaze over. Afraid she may have a heart attack before he could have his fill, David grinned. "And I'm the last thing you're ever gonna' see."

He pounded his mouth over her extended throat, sinking his teeth through her flesh and guzzling as he cut through her jugular. The warm sweet elixir flooded over his tongue, warming his body as he felt it rush through his body. It was the only thing that warmed him, keeping the cold at bay like hot chocolate after playing in the snow, its heat branching out and melting rigid muscles one by one. He drank until her heart began to slow, the disappointing bottom of a ripe bottle of wine.

Throwing his head back and wiping his mouth, David let Amber fall, her body making small sand angels as it twitched involuntarily in the final throes of death. It was his favorite part of the end of the kill.

_Would it be like that for Domini?_

David lay down beside her, curling her dying eyes to face the fading amber in his own. The moon was slipping away in the sky, sinking like her soul into the sand. David's whisper was soft, the poetic words rolling off his tongue as he recited her eulogy.

"Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light," he cooed. "Though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night."

David brushed the wisps of hair from Amber's dying eyes. "Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, and learn, too late," he grinned, "they grieve it on its way, do not go gentle into that good night." She was not Domini and there was no fight left in her, yet still he urged her on. "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

He watched the final flicker of light die from her eyes, frozen open toward the sinking moon. The sun would rise soon and he felt the ache of sleep calling his name over the waves. Death was the most beautiful poetry David knew, even out of the thousands of books he had read over those long years. No one had ever truly captured the exquisite last moment of life and all it beheld. One day though, someone would. And David would be there to read it, even if at that moment they had not yet been born.

Rising to his feet, David listened to the sound of panting, feral dogs roaming the beach in the distance for scraps from beach-goers. He lured them with his own animal scent, grinning at their hesitation, even as they came for the promise of blood and meat.

"She's all yours boys," David grinned. "Still some good bones to chew clean."

He flashed his teeth as the pack of dogs backed away with yelping starvation and fear. David laughed, turning around and heading back down the beach as the first hint of sunlight rose in the distance. He listened to the animals picking the girl apart, fighting over what was left of her. David had a pack of his own to return to.

Domini sat on the rooftop, awaiting the sunrise, unable to sleep. She could not stop thinking about David and his strange band of brothers. They were so mysterious but she looked forward to learning more about each and every one of them. David had let her in, just a little, but that small effort meant the world to her. It was a gesture of faith and a promise of hope.

David may have thought himself complicated but Domini was sure he would open up more to her over time. He had let her in and she was not going to back away. Domini knew it had taken a lot for David to be so vulnerable in front of her; _to_ her. She would not betray him, knowing herself how hard it was to bare oneself. Domini felt a need to protect that side of him as much as he guarded it himself.

And then there was Max, who had welcomed them in freely, asking nothing in return but for them to be smart and safe. He saw something in them that Domini was not certain they had seen enough of; endless possibility.

She looked over Sable who rested quietly, even on the hard rooftop high above the empty Boardwalk. They had something good there, better than they had ever imagined. Their luck was turning for the better for once. She smiled at her friend, knowing that between Max and David and the boys, they were going to be okay. It was only the beginning of so many amazing things to come.

Sable breathed deeply, her eyes refusing to open. "Would you shut the hell up over there?"

Domini laughed. "I didn't say a word."

"Mhm," she muttered. "I can practically hear you gushing over David and it's disgusting."

"I'm not gushing," she laughed harder, unable to help her smile. "I'm curious," Domini tried to reason.

Sable remained still, begging for sleep to come so she could dream. "Curious about what he looks like under that trench coat and leather?" she grinned.

About to protest, Domini smiled. "You mean David? Or Marko?"

The smile crept across Sable's lips. "Goodnight, Domini."

"Goodnight," she whispered with a smile. Domini did not move to lie down though. She wanted to see the sun rise over the Boardwalk and paint the day with new light. There was hope on those rays and she could not wait for them to reach her.

A gentle nudge woke Domini from her lean against the building's castle turret where sometime in the early morning she had succumbed to sleep. She opened one weary eye to Sable's smile.

"Good morning, muffin!" she boasted loudly.

Domini groaned, stretching and twisting her aching back. "_Is_ it good?" she asked with a groggy frown.

"Not really!" Sable shouted with just as much sarcastic enthusiasm as before.

The girl slid down to the rooftop, afraid she might fall over the side in her sleepy state. "I hate you," she mumbled.

"Yeah well, I hate that you kept me up all night with your moaning."

Domini was fully awake then. "Um, no. That was you, hon," she smiled.

Sable shook her head. "Nooo, that was you. Probably dreaming of David."

"Wrong again. It was you, _definitely_ dreaming of Marko and waking yourself up," she laughed. Although Domini could not remember drifting off to sleep, she clearly remembered being woken up over and over by Sable's incessant fantasies. "You said his name, girl," she laughed.

Unable to remember any of it clearly, Sable tried to recall even a flash of her dreams. "Are you sure?" she asked. "Cause I was really sure it was you."

"Oh no, that was _all_ you," she frowned. "I barely got enough sleep to dream at all thanks to you."

It seemed as if it had happened to someone else. Sable had no recollection of it at all. "Well damn, wish I had at least enjoyed it for myself."

"Trust me, you did," Domini laughed. "C'mon, let's get something to eat."

Sable followed her friend to the side of the building. They never made it to the fire escape though. Police were crawling all over the alleyway, cordoning off both ends with caution tape. There were tarps laid out over shallow mounds and small bar towels thrown over little bloodied humps. Half the Boardwalk was trying to see down the alley as they congregated at both ends, trying to catch even a glimpse of the full view the girls had from up above.

Sable swallowed hard, backing away from the edge. "Um, what do you suppose the smaller things are they covered?" She turned around when Domini did not answer and found her throwing up on the other side of the rooftop. Sable nodded, making her way to the opposite side. "I think I'll take this corner over here."

With nothing left in their stomachs and no will to eat after what little they had even seen, the girls waited two hours until the coroner finally came from his interrupted golf tournament at the club in town. Why the police needed any confirmation of death was beyond them. The pieces were all placed into sealed bags and carted away. The seemingly unfazed police scattered off, asking few questions and getting fewer answers. The girls could not wait to get out of there, even with a shop boy from the bar still hosing down the alley as they descended the fire escape.

He looked at them but did not seem to care as he looked away and continued his work.

"What the hell happened here?" Sable asked him.

The guy shrugged. "Just another night on the Boardwalk. Welcome to Santa Carla." He paused, looking up at the rooftop. "You weren't up there all night were you? Did you see anything?"

Domini shook her head. "No. Nothing. We were out cold." The last thing they needed was cops asking questions. She eyed him just as he watched her. "You're not gonna' say anything are you?"

The guy squinted his eyes. "I'm washing blood outta' the alley behind my old man's bar. You really think I got connections or that anybody gives a shit what I got to say?"

The girls hurried along past him, wondering just how many times he had been told to hose down that alley. They moved out onto the Boardwalk, quickly blending in with the passing crowds and putting as much distance between King's Fries, the bar and themselves as they could.

Sable shook her head. "We are never, I repeat _never_, going up there again," she said firmly.

Domini wanted to agree. "Where are we supposed to go?"

A small smile spread across Sable's lips. "I know a group of guys who manage an old hotel. For cheap," she laughed.

"No," Domini glared.

"Why not?"

She stared straight ahead, focusing on the lockers as they got closer. "Because..."

Sable frowned, digging into her pocket. "Worst answer ever, Domini."

A sigh came with a roll of her eyes. "Because moving too fast is something I don't do anymore. This is a fresh start, Sable. I don't wanna' mess this up."

She laughed. "What's to mess up? They have a huge place. Decrepit and creepy, sure, I'll give ya' that. But it's a place with real beds."

"Any particular bed you're thinking of taking up in?" she smiled.

"No," Sable laughed. "I'm still not even convinced that wasn't you dreaming. Besides, Marko's hot and all but I really do want to get settled here before starting anything up." She stopped and turned to her friend. "This was always the plan, Domini. We're here. We made it. And we're going to be happy here," she promised. "You and me." Sable thought a moment. "And then maybe later me and Marko and you and David," she grinned.

"Maybe. Later," she agreed. "But it's you and me first."

"Always," Sable smiled, slinging her arm around her and digging through her back pockets.

Domini sighed. "Maybe Max knows a place. Somewhere close by the shop."

"Maybe," Sable shrugged, checking her socks in case she had tucked the key inside for safe keeping. "But I really believe we should give the old hotel a shot."

Domini watched her fumble through her clothes. "When did you decide all this?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. While _you_ were dreaming," she emphasized. "Where the hell is the key?"

Frowning, Domini did not want to hear what she knew Sable was about to say. Instead, she said it first. "You lost it, didn't you?" she groaned.

The redhead bit her lip. "Um, _maybe_?"

Domini was too tired to fight. "What are we supposed to do, Sable? Everything we have is in there."

Sable nodded, feeling horrible for losing the key. "I know, I know. Look, after work tonight, we'll ask Max if he has a crowbar or something and we'll just pry it open."

"Right," she nodded. "Because that won't raise any eyebrows in our direction."

"We just watched a crime scene get washed off the alley next to the Boardwalk, Domini," she huffed. "I don't think anyone's paying a whole lot of attention around here."

It was a fair statement. Domini nodded and they headed back down the Boardwalk to wander aimlessly. It was only noon but they had time to kill before their first night of work. "Well let's see if we can at least find a place to shower."

Sable snapped her fingers. "The beach showers will be open by now. We can go in and get cleaned up. Same clothes as last night, but whatever," she groaned.

Domini felt a pang of shame wondering what Max would say. He knew they had been hanging out with David and Marko the night before. What would he say when they showed up wearing the same clothes the next day?

"Maybe we can buy some cheap tops or something so we don't look a mess for work."

"Yeah," Sable frowned. "Cause I'm all about making a great impression for our new job."

Domini smiled, "Our new job that will pay _money_!"

She shrugged. "Yeah. I like that part."

The girls wandered off toward the showers, Sable hoping the last of their money would get them through another night. Domini only worried about what Max was going to say if they could not afford to change before they saw him. She could not bear the look of disappointment in his eyes.

**_The poem David recites with a dark twist on a motivating poem is "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas and I can take no credit for it. A simple nod from one humble writer to an incredible one in a far better league. Credit where credit is due. I highly recommend reading the poem in its entirety if you haven't already. _**

**_It is pure brilliance._**

**_On a selfish note, I hope you're coming back for more. There is so much still to write! Cheers, Harley_**


	5. Chapter 5

**~ CHAPTER 5 ~**

**_Thank you for the favorites, follows, reviews and support! I can't tell you how exciting it is for me to read messages and reviews where you really look into the layers and delve into the characters! You are so kind and I appreciate each one of you very, very much. Thank you!_**

**_xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The day-trippers were going home for the evening to wash the sand from their clothes and the ocean's salt from their skin. Time was caught in between the five o'clock sun's red glow and the promise of night waiting on the moon's hidden patience. Long shadows began to creep over abandoned footsteps in the sand, creating dark holes of cooled pockets across the beach.

The girls made their way through the thinning crowds as families retired and teenagers filled their wake like untamed sharks jumping over the surf behind the boats.

Max's shop was just ahead and Domini was hurrying Sable, not wanting to be late, especially on their first night. "C'mon," she laughed, looking back.

Sable dragged her heels against the tide that moved her further out to sea where she was sure she would drown. She had never held down a real job for longer than a week and she had no interest in working for 'The Man', even if Max seemed alright. Sable wanted to be out on that Boardwalk with the rest of the world. She had always been on the outside looking in anyway. The thought of being on the inside, watching life pass her by, made Sable feel claustrophobic. Despite Domini's insistence, she knew her friend felt the same way.

She would never fully understand that side of Domini. The other girl's eagerness to please was a total contrast to her need to push others away. Sable had never had a hand raised against her by someone she should have been able to trust with her life; her innocence. Sable's father had been a great man and his loss had left a hole deep inside her, but one that was different from the void inside Domini. The only void that scared Sable was the one that would come to take her at the end of her life. She had watched it take her father. One minute he was there, holding her hand in the hospital; the next he was gone. He did not talk of light or a tunnel or a warm hand stretched out to him. His last word, in fact, was a whispered 'no'. And then there was nothing.

Domini was the only person Sable could ask with first hand knowledge of what was out there. Her dear friend had unintentionally confirmed it, destroying all hope within Sable. There was nothing out there at all but dark and quiet and the shell of emptiness that cradled you, without letting you fill it.

_When the darkness comes, Marko will be there waiting. You won't be alone._

It was thoughts like those that clawed their way up from deep inside her and left Sable with a chill, as if they were not her own; phantom thoughts floating around inside her, toxic to her body in their foreign intrusion. She could only reason that they were coming from her subconsciousness. Her own conscience wanted nothing to do with them but she was compelled to listen to them regardless. Some part of her must want to hear them or they would not be nagging at her in the first place. Her father, Marko, the boys, Max, the job - it all made Sable's head hurt and she searched for distraction.

She watched a little girl with a red balloon up ahead, dragged along by her father's large hand. The child had no idea that she should hold on tighter, never let go. Her whole world was in that bright red balloon and the magic that lifted it up into the air above her head where she would someday reach. Sable could see the long white string sliding from the child's hand, her world slipping away and she could not stomach to watch it.

Sable reached out, grabbing the string just as the little girl released it. She held it out to her, beaming down at the child's relief.

Her father felt the resisting tug of his daughter's hand and turned back to see Sable. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" he yelled, making Sable jump.

"I was just – she was losing her grip," she sputtered in surprise.

The man snatched it from Sable's hand, bending down to his daughter's level and tying it securely around her wrist. "Teenagers," he muttered, looking up at Sable, sure she was going to steal it if he had not intervened. "You all think you own the Boardwalk." He stood up, lifting his daughter in his arms and over his head to sit on his shoulders. He huffed, "Just because you find something doesn't mean you should have it. You're all just grasping, all the time," the man growled, walking away.

Sable felt the tears well up in her eyes but she would never let them fall. _No_, she thought to herself. _We're all just trying to hold onto something_; _all the time_.

"You comin'?" Domini called back, standing in the entrance to the store.

She nodded, turning away and composing herself. She watched the little girl disappear through the crowd, high on her daddy's shoulders, however misguided he was. Her balloon drifted even higher above the child, floating behind her as she was pulled along. Sable felt just as disconnected sometimes. She was grateful that Domini had tethered her to her.

With a deep breath, Sable marched into the store, determined not to screw it up for her friend. She would support Domini's efforts to find honest work just as her friend would back up her decision to find sanctuary at the old hotel. They fed off one another, driving each other as friends did.

It was early and the night would be long, but the end of it would come soon enough. Just like the sun had to set and the moon would surely rise, when the darkness came, so would Marko. Sable was sure of that.

A curly-haired brunette smiled from behind the counter. "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for Max," Domini smiled back.

"Oh thank God," she laughed, lifting up the counter board to let them behind it. "I could use the help. If one more girl comes in here asking if we have any copies left of Adventures in Babysitting I'm gonna' stick somebody." She stacked the videos carrying on without introduction. "I swear sometimes it feels like I'm the one babysitting around here."

Domini laughed and nodded even though she had no idea what the girl was talking about. "Is Max here?" she asked, looking around.

"Nah, he doesn't come in until late. He's more of a back of the house kind of guy. Numbers and stuff," she nodded. "So Domini and Sable, right? Who's who?"

"I'm Domini, she's Sable."

"I'm Maria," she smiled. "And I'm really glad you're here."

She jumped right into explaining how to watch for shoplifters and to never leave the register open, even to turn around for a minute. Domini and Sable had both those parts down.

"And each time you check somebody out, make sure you open it and match the tape to the box. Can't tell ya' how many times fifteen year olds have tried to slip Fatal Attraction into a Benji: The Hunted case this summer. It's not really that big of a deal until it's been returned and a family rents it. Then their kids are half way through it in the other room waiting for a floppy dog to run in and instead their parents walk in," she laughed. "That's when it becomes _your_ problem."

Domini liked Maria. She talked fast and was casual about everything. She would make long hours at the shop move quickly.

Looking around the shop Sable asked, "Why aren't there any mirrors? Wouldn't it make it easier to catch shoplifters?" Of course they would be very hungry if there had been mirrors the night before.

Maria shook her head, pointing to the RCA dog facing out the door. "Camera," she nodded. She motioned to the ceiling corners. One had a Muppet-type prop from Labyrinth and, upon a closer look, the eyes were extra glossy. The other corner had a flashing train hood with a Stand by Me cutout behind it on the wall. "Another camera," she smiled, pointing to the light. "Each time the flash goes out it takes a shot. The other two are video though and streamline. Max spares no expense with his technological toys," she laughed.

Sable shrugged. "But unless you're watching the videos, I mean, mirrors are way cheaper and faster to catch somebody."

The girl nodded with a grin. "Yeah, but if you were Max, would you want lots of mirrors around?"

Sable laughed but toned it down when Domini did not. She watched her friend pull out an Untouchables display, unfolding it and propping the cardboard stand-up by the door to lure people inside. She was really putting forth an effort and Sable felt she should at least try to do the same.

Restocking the shelves, Sable aimlessly alphabetized in her head, moving videos around. It was mindless work but she supposed it was better than working hard. Something inside her perked up suddenly, like getting a second wind.

Sable found a good rhythm to the music in the store and found a bounce on her heels as she spun between the shelf and cart. She felt re-energized and it brightened her whole outlook on the night.

That burst of energy soon turned to a tingle on the back of her neck, making the tiny soft hairs stand on end like the electricity just before a powerful storm.

Sable instinctively turned around to the door, seeing the four dark figures parting the crowd with their presence. She was not sure if she was nervous to see Marko or excited but, one look into his eyes, and it was like it was decided for her, overcoming Sable with a flutter of exhilaration.

Marko was pleased with himself, reaching her from so far away. Paul patted him on the back with a nod of approval. They may not be allowed inside the store anymore but there was no stopping the reach of his push. He took pride in mind-fucking the girl. It made her all the more fun.

Maria leaned on the counter, raising a brow to Sable as David approached Domini's stand-up. "Speaking of Untouchables," she grinned.

David looked the stand up and down, smirking at Domini. "I don't know the meaning of the word."

"Hey," Domini smiled.

He took a drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke away from her, an attempt to be polite. Girls liked that. "How's your night?" he smiled.

She felt like a spotlight was on her every time David looked at her. "Getting better," she smiled.

David watched her positioning the production merchandise from a box of key chain guns and necklaces with brass knuckles. Working seemed like such a waste of a good night and it was not something he would ever understand. Domini had survived death and she was wasting away like every other drone inside the shops along the Boardwalk. It was pitiful.

"You gonna' stand out there all night?" she smiled.

David held up his cigarette, using it as an excuse for why he could not come in. It would not work for long though as he was almost down to the filter.

Marko took his brother's cue and hung in the doorway with a lopsided grin. "_Hey_ Maria. Can Sable and Domini come out and play?"

"No," she laughed. "They're workin'." She turned to Sable with an impressed grin. "You know them?"

"Probably only as much as you," she shrugged, realizing she really did not know much about any of them at all, even Marko. A lot had happened and the drama of the night's events had sped things along but they had skipped over many of the formalities.

Maria looked between Marko and Sable and smiled at the girl. "That hungry smile says _he_ knows _you_." She laughed, giving the girl a playful push. "They're Boardwalk royalty around here. I'll do you a solid." She turned back to the doorway. "But you can come in and talk to em' while they work."

Sable took a deep breath, feeling like she needed to prepare herself.

David flicked the butt of his cigarette over his shoulder with a grin and took a step toward the door. "Don't mind if we do."

A yelp came from behind him in the crowd as a teenage boy brushed at the embers scorching the hairs of his arm. "Hey watch it, man!" he yelled. David and Marko turned to glare at him and the boy straightened up, no longer worried about his arm once he found the source of its burn. "Hey man, my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." He hurried through the crowd, looking over his shoulder most of the way.

David smiled, ducking into the store. "So sugar, how late are you on?"

Domini looked up at him, trying so hard not to give herself away. He was even more mesmerizing in the bright light. "I'll get off at midnight," she smiled.

"Presumptuous," he smirked. "I like that."

She laughed nervously, shaking her head. "Off of work. Midnight," she stated.

Making his way to the back, Marko made sure Paul and Dwayne were keeping Maria busy. He grinned at Sable as she watched a father lift his daughter up to reach the top shelf of children's movies but it soon faded. He did not need to read her mind when it was right there in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she smiled, feeling transparent.

He eased in beside her, lowering his voice so she had to lean in to hear him. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, Sable. But don't lie to me either."

She swallowed hard, wondering how he could be so in tune with her. "My mind's just been all over the place lately."

He smiled, reeling her back into the present. "Any thoughts about me mixed in there?"

"Maybe," she laughed.

"Good," Marko grinned, knowing that she had because he had put the thoughts there himself. "Cause I've been thinkin' about _you_." He watched her a moment. "How'd you sleep last night?" Marko already knew but he wanted Sable to confirm it and feed his hungry ego.

"Not well actually," she sighed.

He nodded. "Dreams or nightmares?" Marko honestly wanted to know. Dreams were funny things. He could push into her subconscious with ease, but free will had a way of skewing and interpreting dreams in uncontrollable ways.

Sable cocked her head, trying to remember what she had never known, even as she had woken up. "I'm not sure." She thought it might be a good time to ask Marko if his offer still stood about staying with them. It was crazy to even consider it but she could not stop thinking about it. She opened her mouth to ask when she was interrupted.

"Hello ladies," Max smiled, entering from the back of the store. He eyed the boys. "And dare I say gentlemen? I fear the meaning would be lost on you," he scowled.

"Hey Max," David grinned. He eyed Domini from behind her. "Love what you've done with the place."

He nodded curtly. "What are you doing in here?"

"Accepting an invitation," he smiled. David did not bother to mention that it was Maria who had extended the invite back inside. It fared better for him to let Max think it had been Domini.

"_My_ girls have work to do, David," he said expectantly.

He smiled, "We were just leaving."

"Bye," Domini whispered, lifting her eyes to him but keeping her head down as she finished the display.

She looked like a puppy that had just been swatted on the nose with a newspaper and David loathed the look of weakness Max had made her wear. He watched Max as he backed away toward the door though, seeing something in the gleam of his eye.

Max stared over David's shoulder, leading the girl right into his back. He smiled, watching David turn around and stand in between Domini and the girl he would have to explain away.

"Hey stranger," the girl smiled. "You boys haven't been by the club in weeks."

It took David a moment to recognize her without the pole. "Bambi," he grinned, looking her up and down. It seemed almost awkward to see her in a bikini top and short shorts. They had collectively eaten half of her co-workers but the dumb girl seemed to chalk it up to the high turnover of the business. "We _are_ overdue, aren't we?" he grinned, leading her away from the shop while Domini helped a customer.

The girl smoothed her hands up his solid chest with a smile. "You've been missed."

Paul nodded behind David, watching Domini. She had been listening and passed the customer off to Maria to watch.

David lowered the girl's hands, creating space between them.

"You gettin' shy on me now? You never were before," Bambi grinned.

Never one to back down, David smirked at her. "We'll be around soon. Very soon." He thought it might even be better that Domini was watching. She was still far from a sure thing and it might be just the right incentive for her to play into his arms. Domini was a strong force to be reckoned with but jealousy was a motivational drive that devoured reason. Either way, David would have to feed before he met up with Domini and a fish was jumping right into his boat.

David leaned back against the wall, seeing Domini by the window out of the corner of his eye. He let Bambi get closer again but kept his hands down in his pockets as she pressed up against him to whisper in his ear. He chuckled softly, making sure Domini could see it all. She needed to know he had options. He wanted to get that fight up in Domini again. He could hear her blood boil even from ten feet away.

"Excuse me," a woman smiled to Domini, her five year old son at her side. "Is there anything you'd recommend that's kid-friendly?"

Domini took one last look at David, hating that he thought he was hiding from her and flirting just outside the store. She marched over to the children's section on the wall and pulled down a video. "I hear Bambi's a real _crowd pleaser_," she snapped, practically tossing it at the woman and storming to the back to find solace in Max's office.

Paul gave a hearty laugh and stumbled into Dwayne, delighting in Domini's feverish fury. "I hope you know what you're doin' man!" he choked at David.

He grinned, sending the girl on her way with a promise. "_Always_," he laughed, looking back at the window to find Max's smile instead of Domini's frown. He knew Max thought he had arranged a fight but David knew eighteen year old girls better than Max ever would, no matter how long he had been around. They flocked to David and he had learned so much from each generation of new ones.

Pressing her palms over Max's desk, Domini tried to collect herself. She refused to cry. She was supposed to be working. Feeling the tears welling up, she willed them to stop, chastising herself for even letting them brim to the surface. It was not that David had even done anything wrong. Domini was the one who had overreacted and she was grateful he had not seen her make a fool of herself.

She knew she had no claim over him and he owed her nothing. If anything, Domini owed David for saving her from the jerk on the Boardwalk. She felt so ashamed for being overly dramatic and letting it get to her. She had never been that kind of girl. David was different than all the rest though. Everything about him was different and Domini could not deny that she felt a connection to him. Just then, she hated herself for it.

Slender fingers tucked over her shoulder, making her jump. She turned to find Max backing away with an apologetic frown. "Sorry," she said softly.

"Don't be," Max said with a firm tone. "My hideaway is your sanctuary anytime you need it." He moved around the desk and took his seat. "I can't tell you how many times I've hid out back here myself. It's quiet enough to hear yourself think."

She nodded, biting at her lip and feeling even more of a fool. David had not seen her blow-up but Max surely had. "I screwed up." Domini meant it in both situations.

He shook his head. "Hardly. She's checking out with Maria right now. I don't think she noticed," he smiled.

Domini peered out the door with a relieved exhale, the first full breath she had taken in the past five minutes. "It won't happen again," she promised.

"I'm sure it won't," he smiled. Max leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands and offering Domini a seat. Once she was face to face with him, he saw the raw glisten of bruised skin against the corner of her cheek. Max's eyes flashed. "Did he do that to you?" he growled, ready to call him forth.

"No, no!" Domini defended him quickly as she brushed her blonde hair back over to hide the bruise with her embarrassment. "David," she started softly, "well he actually protected me. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there," Domini admitted.

Max was grossly disappointed at David's quick lead. He nodded and settled in for a lecture he knew she needed. "Boys like him tend to attract trouble. They're magnets for mischief and even when they're not looking for it, it seems to find them. I'd hate to see you get mixed up in that," he frowned. "It's only one of many reasons I don't like them coming around here."

She lowered her chin. "I understand. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Domini," he chuckled. "And you've nothing to be sorry about at all. I've seen that group prey on tourists for a few summers now and they know how to pick out the girls who are searching for something."

Her eyes lifted to meet his with surprise. "Searching for what?"

His gentle smile reached her instantly. "Everyone's searching for something, Domini. It's not a bad thing at all so please don't take offense." Max could smell the wounds inside her the moment he first caught a whiff of her blood. She permeated the air with longing and a need to be fulfilled. "Everyone is on their own quest, including myself. I think the Boardwalk draws people here for answers. Some find them, while others, keep wandering."

She nodded, somehow finding that to be true. It had brought her and Sable there after all. Her still sad eyes looked to Max. "What are _you_ searching for?"

"Family," he said with a simple smile. "And a legacy to leave to someone who will appreciate the time I've had here." He watched her eating it up. "The question is, Domini, what are _you_ searching for?"

She did not even know where to start. Domini pulled herself together and smiled. "I guess I won't know until I find it. Thanks for listening, Max."

He nodded. "Anytime. My door is always open," he smiled. "If you ever need someone to, just listen," Max said tenderly, "please keep me in mind. I don't know if you have anyone like that in your life."

She smiled, "I have Sable."

He frowned. "I've seen more than enough good friends get stretched thin by life here, and by the company they keep," he reminded her. "Friendships splinter sometimes."

"We're good," she promised Max. There was nothing and no one in the world that could come between the two friends and she knew that.

Domini finished out the night and never let a tear fall. She felt better after talking to Max and she was glad that David had not seen her make a scene. It bothered her, watching that girl hang on him like that but she was the instigator, not David. Domini had to remind herself of that. She did not want to be the girl who made excuses for a guy, nor did she want to be one who burst into tears because someone else paid him attention.

Domini decided to let it all go and start over fresh. Whatever happened would happen. If Fate was truly real, she did not have to choose a side at all. She could just let it be and see where it took her.

At the end of the night, the girls said goodbye to Max and Maria, accepting a later and shorter shift so Maria could leave earlier. They would only have to work from nine to midnight but, with what Max was paying them, they would still be able to save up for a small room to rent and share. In the meantime, Sable was still pushing for them to save up while staying at the old hotel for free.

"I just think it makes sense, Domini," she nodded, strolling out onto the Boardwalk. "I'm _no_t spending another night on that rooftop." Those particular words had become her mantra over the past twelve hours.

Domini could at least agree with that. They were never going back to that rooftop or anywhere near that alley. She felt uncomfortable staying with David though, despite convincing herself he had done nothing wrong. She had even more to think about than before.

"Don't do that," Sable warned her.

"Do what?" she asked defensively, having not even said a word.

Sable eyed her. "Over think things and withdraw. I need you here right now."

"I am here," she smiled.

Sable grinned, "Right here and coming with me to the cheapest hotel on the beach?"

Before she could protest, the roar of motorcycles tore up the sand just beyond the Boardwalk. Domini felt her heart plummet into her stomach, wondering what she was going to say. She did not even know how she felt yet. Domini was a mix of emotions that conflicted with her thoughts. As David rode up beside her, she knew what she wanted though.

She smiled at his grin. "You came back."

He chuckled. "Of course I did. Where else would I be?"

Domini looked back toward the shop, that slip of brick between the buildings where he had stood, _with her_. "I don't know," she shrugged, feeling awkward even bringing it up so early in, in whatever it was they were only at the beginning of.

David had to fight the smile her jealousy brought him. The corner of his grin gave him away but he kept her controlled with the ease of it. Guilty people did not grin in the face of confrontation. He used it to his advantage.

"I have friends, Domini," he said with an easy tone. "You can't hold that against me. I've lived here longer than you. I'm bound to run into some of them from time to time." His gloved finger tipped her chin up to face his smile. "I have a past, Domini, same as you. But you're the one I came to see tonight. You're the one I came back for now." David grinned. "And you're the only girl ridin' the back of my bike so let's go for a _ride_."

His words were almost an order but his playful grin was a challenge. Sable was already climbing onto the back of Marko's motorcycle and she knew her friend was still exhausted from the night before, not to mention working the past six hours without a break just because Domini asked her to. She owed Sable this. Besides, Domini wanted to go, if nothing more than to see what would happen.

The boys watched her with expectant eyes but, as David helped her up, he cast a knowing glance their way. There was never any doubt in his mind she would come. Thanks to Marko and Sable, this time she would stay.

He licked his lips as she raked her nails over his thighs and fastened her hands around him. Bambi's blood was still pumping through his responding body and Domini was ready to play. David took off fast, making her have to hold on tight. There was plenty of fight in the girl yet. David wondered how long she could hold out with everything he had in store for her.

**_I hope you're curious to see what plans David has and I hope you'll come back to read them. I had to put a nod to Kiefer with the Stand by Me setup. :) Not only a brilliant film, but perfect with the story's timeline to be a prop in the shop. I've followed Kiefer's career throughout and there is no character the man cannot play, in my humble opinion. Just a small nod to a great man I met in Baltimore. Thanks for letting me indulge a little._**

**_Cheers, Harley_**


	6. Chapter 6

_**I can't tell you how much your reviews and private messages move me and inspire me to write! So in honor of your support and frankly, because it's Monday and who couldn't use something fun, I knocked this out for you. I hope you'll enjoy it! Cheers, Harley**_

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

"Wait!" Domini yelped over the roar of the motors.

David pulled to a quick stop and turned his ear back to her. "What's the matter, sugar?" He knew there was no way she was already having second thoughts but the worry in Domini's voice made him wonder.

She pointed down the Boardwalk to the end. "The lockers. We need to get our stuff. We lost our key." She looked back, knowing Max was still working the books in the office.

David did not need to read Domini's mind to know what she was thinking then. "You _don't_ need him, Domini. You've got me," he promised.

Tightening around him again, she leaned her cheek to David's back, taking comfort in his protective nature. They tore down the nearly empty Boardwalk, cutting through the darkness.

Sable and Domini faced one another with mirrored smiles. They could see Marko and David exchanging glances but at first could not read their eyes. Their smiles were loud and clear though.

Marko grinned at David and nodded. _It's done, all back in the cave; room 313 in the top drawer of the dresser. You might want to sift through it sometime. Interesting stuff_.

_Panty-sniffer_, David teased with a smirk.

_Jealous_? Marko grinned. _But not what I meant. Some time, take a minute. I think you'll find it useful_.

_Well done, Marko_, he nodded.

They reached the lockers in a matter of minutes and pretended to wait for Sable to find which locker was theirs.

"Without the number on the key, it's hard to say. But it's got to be this one," Sable nodded, seeing keys in all of the unoccupied boxes around the one that was still locked. The lockers were mainly used by beachgoers who wanted to lock up their valuables for a few hours while they swam. It was never meant to be a storage unit. "Yeah, that's definitely it," she nodded, stepping back and looking to the boys to see how they would open it.

David knew he could not just rip the little door off its hinges. He glanced at Paul. _You look like the type to have a shady past_, he grinned.

_I do indeed_, he snickered, stepping forward and playing his part.

The girls watched Paul pull his silver earring out and bend the hook toward its dagger's thick curve. He pushed the metal into the lock and used the hook to wiggle through the chamber above it. In under a minute he heard the soft catch as he lifted the hammer of the lock and turned the dagger like a key.

"And we're in," Paul smiled proudly. "I believe I've earned a reward," he laughed, pulling a fresh joint from his pocket.

Sable laughed, wondering just what connections Paul had to never run out of his endless supply. She did not want to dwell on how he knew how to pick a lock either though.

She opened the locker door as wide as her eyes. "Shit," she whispered.

Domini moved up behind her, despite being able to see the emptiness from where she had been standing. "It's got to be the wrong locker," she shook her head.

Sable frowned. "You know this is the one. The others are empty. We're fucked!" she shouted, knowing it was all her fault for losing the key in the first place.

David shrugged. "Couldn't have been hard for them once they found the key with the locker number printed on it. Was there anything valuable inside?"

Domini sighed. "Only to us."

He nodded, stretching out his hand to her and pulling her to him to lean on. "I'll take care of it, Domini," he swore. "I'll take care of _you_." Sometimes David surprised himself at how easy it was to reel that girl in. "The only thing around here that can't be replaced - is the two of you."

She believed every word of it too. David had been nothing but honest, about everything, including the girl on the Boardwalk. He did not have to explain himself but he had and it made sense. David was making an effort and Domini needed to do the same if she wanted to keep him coming back for her.

Smiling up at him, Domini held his gaze long enough to make him wonder what she was thinking. Or maybe he was holding hers. It was sometimes hard to tell.

"What?" he grinned.

She looked to Sable and nodded, turning back to him. "Does your offer still stand? To stay in one of the rooms?"

The corner of his lips curled with satisfaction. "A standing invitation, anytime you want it."

She climbed onto the back of his bike and held on tight, accepting his offer.

Marko's fingerless-gloved hand reached for Sable, proud of their collaborated efforts. She was the perfect pawn and he enjoyed moving her around the spaces, always five steps ahead and setting up his final victory.

The ride back to the cave was quicker than Domini wanted. She was not ready to let David go. She supposed there was really no reason she had to. As he offered her his arm to steady herself getting down from his bike, she held onto him, finding a pleased response in his smile. He walked beside her, keeping her close and wrapping the wing of his coat around Domini to keep the brisk ocean wind off her bare shoulders.

It was a different experience going into the cave the second time, knowing what to expect, at least as far as their surroundings. What would happen there was anyone's guess. Domini was grateful that Sable had pushed for them to go back. There was no place else on earth Domini would rather be that night.

Domini waited to see where David would sit before she got settled. She had hoped he would choose one of the old couches or even the tattered loveseat behind the fountain. She was disappointed when he took his mobile throne, slinging his leg over the arm like before. It was as if his package needed room to breathe in those leather pants. Domini blushed at the thought and turned a deep crimson when he caught her staring.

He patted his stationary leg, inviting her over. "There's room for two," he grinned. "Trust me."

She hesitated for a moment. Domini was not opposed to making out with David that night. She was less sure she wanted to start the night out by sitting on his lap and giving him the wrong impression.

David smirked, cocking his head to the side, relishing in reading her eyes when he could not read her mind. "It's not a commitment, Domini. It's just a seat," he grinned. She sat down over his leg gently, not wanting to hurt him and it made him snicker. He kicked her feet out from under her so she could not hold herself up. "Settle in, sugar. The night's still young and you've been on your feet all day. You're not gonna' hurt me."

Leaning back against his raised leg, the curl of his knee propped her up. David was so solid and even in his layers, he felt comfortable underneath and around her.

"Paul? Are you sharing?" he smiled as the man came forth with a joint.

Domini shook her head. "It's really not my thing." It made her too fuzzy; paranoid. She wanted to dull the swirling doubts in her head that tended to creep up, not enhance them.

Paul shrugged, "More for us." He offered it to David who took a smooth draw and handed it back to be passed around. He took it over to Sable and Marko on the couch and held it out. "Ladies first," he grinned at his brother.

She stared it only a moment and turned away. The smell was overwhelming now that it was so close and it took her back to younger days when her father was still at home. He had been a hippie who had always grown his own. Toward the end when the Cancer had taken away his appetite, her dad had used it just to be able to stomach enough food to make it through the day.

Marko frowned, listening to her closely. He shook his head to Paul and nodded him toward Dwayne who was more than happy to indulge. Marko did not want Sable's mind in the past. He needed her thoughts in the present, on him.

_Don't you go there, girl_, he pushed. _You're relaxed, comfortable and safe. And you're in the mood to party_.

"David," Marko grinned. "Do you still have that bottle you've been saving for a special occasion?"

He smirked, knowing it was not Max's bottle he was talking about. "Paul?" he nodded.

Paul retrieved the golden liquid filled bottle from the top tier of the fountain. He handed it to David and took a place beside Dwayne, straddling the fountain's seat as he flicked on his rock box. The mix tape flooded the cavern with a slow dominating beat that drove the mood to a darker tone without the girls even picking up on it. Before long they would be swaying their hips and loosening their lips.

David unscrewed the cap, taking a whiff and passing it to Domini. "Twenty-five year old single-malt Scotch Whisky," he grinned.

Sable danced in her seat. "Now you're talkin'." She suddenly felt ready to cut loose and let the tension of the past two days melt off of her. This was just what she needed.

David let Domini breathe in the smoky scent mixed with ocean-water saltiness. It had a presence to it and he knew it would overpower her quickly. David's hand moved behind her, cupping her bottom and smoothing down her thigh. "Bottom's up, darlin'," he smirked.

Domini had been drinking since she was sixteen. It was the only thing that numbed the pain sometimes. She had a good stomach for it and a strong Irish tolerance. It was the only good thing her father had ever given her. Domini was looking forward to proving she could keep up with David for once.

She took a hard swig, letting the amber liquid warm her throat as she tipped the bottle, David's finger helping her along as he raised the bottom higher, flooding her throat. She drew the bottle away, licking her lips and breathing deeply as it made its way down with a burning path of satisfaction.

"I'm not drinkin' alone am I?" she smiled coyly.

"Well," he grinned. "If you insist." He loved watching her think she was calling the shots. It was as sweet as the scent of her blood.

David drank deeply, knowing its effects never lasted long enough. It was why Paul was always chain-smoking his stash.

He held it up to Marko, unable to pass it without letting Domini off his lap, a move he was not ready to make.

Retrieving the bottle, Marko brought it to Sable. "My dear," he smiled as she took a gulp with a choking laugh. "Take another," he encouraged her with his eyes. "It's bad luck to swallow in uneven measure."

"I'm game," Sable grinned, taking another. "But what kind of friend would I be to let my girl go unlucky," she smiled to Domini.

Seeing where the night was going to go and already feeling the heat from her first drink, Domini agreed with quickly lowered inhibition. "Sure. Why not?" she laughed. Domini needed a little liquid courage to match David's bravado. She took another drink and let Marko have his fill.

Marko did not bother to share with Dwayne and Paul who were passing back and forth a flask of fresh blood from their earlier conquests. He moved back and forth between Domini and Sable until finally settling down and tucking Sable's legs over his lap to stay put.

Beyond that moment, Domini and Sable could feel themselves losing time like the skipping chapters of a dream that do not move in sequence but somehow seem uninterrupted.

Domini remembered small talk about the customers from earlier in the night. She recalled laughing, a lot, about jokes she could not put her finger on. It all became a haze of flickering moments that blended into a murky stream. Domini tasted smoke on her tongue. Had she shared David's cigarette?

She opened her glazed eyes, staring into David's closed lids, only then feeling the refreshing coolness of his lips against hers. She let her eyes close again, inviting his tongue as it tangled with her own. It was a strange contrast to his cool lips but the warmth of his tongue heated her faster than the whisky had. His taste was as intoxicating as the liquor itself. David had a full rich flavor of smoky sweetness like braised cinnamon plums and the nip of clover. His kiss dominated her and she gave into it fully.

His hand cupped her jaw, the rough pad of his thumb grazing her ear as his fingers cradled the back of her head, holding her lips to his kiss. He was so hungry for her and she was eating him up. It would not do to turn her so soon. Max would never stand for that. Part of winning their bet though, was binding her to him. He knew the more intimate he could be with Domini, the faster she would fall. Girls could rarely separate their emotions from the physical intimacy of a connection. David was banking on it that night.

The curl of his lips devoured her supple mouth, suckling on her bottom lip before releasing her with a grin. He tucked his smirk away, keeping his eyes on her as he rested his forehead against Domini's, as if it was hard to resist her. In many ways it was not a lie, but not in any way she could survive.

Domini was flushed with heat and grateful for a moment to breathe. David's kiss was a thousand times better than she even imagined it could be. That was when Domini let herself accept that she had been thinking about it more than she had let herself know.

Turning to check on Sable, she found her friend tangled on the couch with Marko. They were steadily making out and, although she could not see her face as Marko ran his tongue over her turned neck, Domini was happy to see the girl having a good time. Sable liked Marko and her friend's dream from the previous night was coming true.

Somewhere beneath Marko, Sable sunk deeper into the cushions of the old couch. She could barely tell which way was up or down, much less where the air might be. Marko's kisses had begun so softly, the sweet bow of his lips playing across hers. Sable could not even be sure when his gentle touches had changed, but she knew that she was drowning beneath him. His tongue invaded her mouth, barring each whimper she begged to release. Sable clawed at Marko's back, her nails raking across the leather of his jacket, unable to comprehend why he was not stopping when everything she did begged him to.

Marko could feel her desperate hands as they pawed helplessly at him; he simply did not care. Without the need to breathe, he could steal every gasp for air and deny her until she was too dizzy to fight. He was careful to swallow every sound she attempted so as not to call attention, or worse, for help. Marko did not have to waste time seducing Sable. He could fuck her six ways to Sunday and it would only take him a whisper to convince the girl that they had spent the evening watching the tide roll in under the moonlight. The bruises he was leaving would be harder to explain. David did not have that luxury with Domini and Marko was grateful to get the penetrable mind between the two girls. It allowed him easy access to push her mind until it was like the damaged passageways of the old cave, filled with so many holes they would no longer connect. And Marko planned to fuck each and every one of them, twice.

Unable to see Sable's eyes, Domini looked to the fountain, hoping neither of them was putting on any kind of a show but found Dwayne and Paul nowhere in sight. All of her surroundings were beginning to blur and the only thing Domini could focus on was David, because he was so close.

He placed a tender kiss on her lips, feeling her part her lips for more as he denied her. That doe-eyed look in her eyes kick-started the predator inside him. David thought about asking her if she wanted to go upstairs but decided that he did not need to give her the choice. He already had Domini and she would go wherever he wanted her to. Right then, he wanted her upstairs and underneath him wrapped around him like a vice.

David smiled, scooping her up in his arms as he rose, carrying her across the sunken lobby. Domini rested her head on his shoulder, tucking her lips down to his neck with small licks of her tongue that made him move faster. He grinned at Marko who had Sable pinned beneath him. He was hiding her resistance with the strength of his body as her tears fell into the back cushion Marko blocked with his grin.

"You two have a good time. Play safe," he snickered, the hint of warning to his brother lingering in the laugh.

Sable pushed up against Marko, finding him immobile. He was so much stronger than he looked. His kisses had started out so gentle and sweet but his roaming hands were too forceful. Each time she had tried to yelp for Domini, Marko had dominated her, hurting her at points. And now her friend was upstairs, alone. Sable was not sure which of them she was more frightened for.

With her friend safely out of earshot, Marko became curious as to why Sable was resisting him at all. "What's wrong, darlin'?" he cooed so smoothly she would think she was crazy for thinking anything of it at all.

Sable tried to catch her breath. It was not that Marko did not turn her on but he was hurting her and she was certain he had to know it. "I wanna' stop," she breathed hard.

"I don't think you do," Marko grinned, slipping his hand to cup between her thighs and rubbing against the denim of her shorts. "I think you're just nervous."

Sable was becoming highly aware of her fear beyond the intoxication. "I'm not nervous, Marko, you're scaring me," she shuttered under his touch. "Get off me," she begged, feeling the helpless gravity of her situation.

"Get you off?" Marko grinned. "With pleasure." His hand pressed harder against her shorts, the friction of denim rubbing almost burning her.

"Please, Marko, no," she whimpered, turning her head away from him and wriggling for space beneath him.

He looked down, turning her chin up at him so he could stare into her eyes, pinning her wrists on either side of her head as his eyes played with her fragile mind inside it.

_You're not scared at all, Sable_, he pushed, planting the thoughts as deep inside her as he planned to be that night. _You're free here. You're with me and want you __**want**__ me, girl_, he grinned. _You want me so deep inside you that you can't tell us apart. And you're gonna let me do whatever I want to you, because you want it too._

Sable felt her wrists stop pushing against him as a calm washed over her. She did not want to fight him. She was into Marko. This was what she had come for, to be with him. The memories of her dreams, tangled in his strong limbs, returned to her conscious thoughts, reminding her how good it could be. Why had she been resisting him at all?

He released her wrists and watched her lower her arms, drawing up her shirt as he helped her slip it over her head. Her hard breathing made her breasts heave in small rises, her heart pounding underneath her soft skin. Marko traced his finger across the forming bruises he had made. He could feel the heat beneath them rising to the surface and he touched them with pride, an artist appreciating the canvas he had transformed. It was the most luscious shade against her flesh and Marko could hardly stand it.

He untucked her breast from the cup of her bra, filling his strong hand and taking her nipple between his teeth. He had to be careful. Marko knew that overstepping Max's bounds would lead to more trouble than he would ever want to take on, even for a hot little thing like Sable. If he could not feed from her though, he would use her to satisfy his other hunger.

Once she was fully his, Sable would be a willing partner and he would not need to push her nearly as much. He still would, of course, as it was too much fun to twist her mind. But he would settle that night for twisting Sable's limber body into every position he desired.

Leaning back, Marko paused a moment to be sure Sable was compliant. She looked up at him with wanting eyes and he was secure in her submission. Marko rose up, standing beside her as he removed his jacket, wanting to feel the heat of her skin against the cool flesh that begged to be warmed.

Sable reached for the taut muscles bared beneath his torn shirt but recoiled with an embarrassed blush as he snickered at her.

"Aw baby," he cooed with a drawl. "It's not that I don't want you to touch me. I do, and ya will," Marko grinned, slowly peeling off his clothes. "But those barriers just won't do." He nodded toward her shorts with that lop-sided smirk. "Take 'em off for me, honey."

Sable, caught in the throes of a waking dream, felt herself rising up, needing to appease him just as she had to breathe. She unhooked her bra, letting it slip to the floor. She started to raise her arms almost immediately to cover herself but Marko's fixated eyes on hers would not allow it.

He was enjoying watching the girl stumble over her movements as if they might somehow still be hers. He sat down on the cushions as they gave way beneath his naked muscles, bending like Sable's will. He flicked the button of her shorts and drew down the zipper with his nail. He wanted Sable to do the work though. Marko's energy was better saved for once she was naked and wrapped around him, holding on for the ride of her life.

Sable lowered her hands, hooking her thumbs into the sides of her shorts and let them fall to the cave floor. Marko was smiling but there was a hint of dissatisfaction behind those mesmerizing eyes and she could not bear to disappoint him. Sable smoothed her panties down her bare thighs and found complete approval as she stood naked before him.

"That's my good girl," Marko licked his grinning lips. "You come here to me," he nodded. He was ready to accept her as Sable climbed over his lap, straddling his hips with her toned thighs.

She wanted Marko to be happy, no matter what the cost. It was a deep-rooted need that she had never known before. Sable wanted to please him and keep that smile beaming at her. She reached for his lengthened cock but her excitement crashed as he pushed her hand away. Sable's only saving grace was that he did not let her hand go. Marko held her and she craved more of his touch.

He was only getting warmed up but Marko was on fire as he watched Sable's desperate eyes try to learn anything and everything he wanted her to do. She begged for direction and he was her master.

Marko took her hand, pushing it down between her own thighs, denying her access to him, yet. She had earned nothing and he was determined to make her work for it. So far he had done all of the hard work and he wanted to watch her squirm for him; then she could writhe.

"Here," he smiled, taking the palm of her hand and cupping it against her smooth petals. "Right here," he encouraged her, sitting back with his hands behind his head as he watched her take over.

Sable slipped her finger up and down her already slickened fold. She touched herself lightly, drawing the dew over her finger as it glistened in the firelight. She rubbed over the hardening nub that ached for Marko's touch, wishing it was his instead of her own. The way he watched her, so intent and excited, only made Sable want him more.

"Please," she begged with a moaning whisper. "Please, Marko. Touch me. Let me touch _you_," Sable implored.

He snickered at her need, despite knowing he would not have been able to hold out much longer anyway. Marko reached between them, sliding his finger inside her and up her wet slit as he raised her hand with his own, drawing it to his lips. He wrapped his tongue around her finger, tasting the sweet perfume he had only tracked until then. Her sugary essence melted over his tongue as he suckled her finger and then returned it to its source.

"More," he grinned, bidding her to continue despite her frustration. "Show me what you want me to do to you, honey."

That was a direction Sable could follow. She slipped her finger deep inside, curling it upward as she moaned, praying to him to replace it with his own. "Touch me, Marko, please!" Sable was on fire, her hips rocking slowly, her hand moving faster. "Please," she begged over and over, her palm rubbing her clit as she moaned.

Watching her so closely, starting to peak over his lap, Marko was ready to give them both what they wanted. He grabbed hold of Sable's hips, lifting her up as he swiftly pulled his legs back from beneath her and slammed her back down on the couch. Marko's tongue was inside her before Sable finished the bounce from his flip, exploring every inch he could reach inside her.

What fire Sable had felt before imploded as Marko filled her with his tongue. Her hips twisted and writhed as he pinned them down, steadying her against his forehead and chin as he worked his magic inside her. She tried to bite back her moans, unsure if she was worthy. Marko's lapping tongue over her clit as he suckled it between his teeth assured her that he wanted her to fill his ears with everything he made her feel. Sable started to release a scream but found his hand quick to cover her mouth.

"Acoustics, sweetheart, remember?" he smiled, his lips glistening. Marko could not have Domini hearing her upstairs or he would have hell to pay from David for the interruption. Marko reached down, handing her the arm of his leather jacket. "Now bite down on this before I bite down on you," he growled with a grin. As soon as her moans were muffled, Marko pushed one leg over the back of the couch and the other over his shoulder. He was back inside her with his playful tongue, fingers splaying her folds as he suckled at her sweet center.

She came twice before Marko was appeased. She had to be relaxed and Sable was putty in his hands. His thumbs pressed the inner caverns of her trembling thighs and he knew he was digging fresh bruises into her skin. But she did not flinch. Marko grinned, sliding his tongue up her slit once more as she moaned into the leather.

"That'll have to do," he grinned, hoping he would not break her small body. If he did, Marko was sure he could still convince her she was whole with a simple bat of his eyes. Sable was so easy he almost missed her resistance.

As his strong cock found the warmth of her slit, he let that notion go and thrust himself inside her. Her scream buried into the leather and Marko wondered for a split second if he would have to find a new jacket. It was short-lived as he felt her tight body clamp around him, her heels raking at the sides of his ribs.

Marko laughed, burying himself inside her over and over, thrusting his hips so hard that Sable's body bounced back up against him. He was elated by her heat and driven by Sable's screams.

"It hurts _so_ damn good, I know," he moaned in her ear, thrusting harder and as deep as her body would allow. Marko gripped her hips, hoisting her weightlessly into the air and pulling her over him as he lay back. "Fuck me with everythin' you got," he growled, pulling Sable's hips down with every thrust against her.

The leather had slipped from her mouth in the sudden position change and Sable felt like she had to hold on or fly right off of him. Her screams were caught somewhere in her gasping throat as it fought between releasing her moans and catching her breath.

She had come hard beneath Marko and even harder over him but still Marko wanted more. He was insatiable and she was compelled to bend in any way he wanted. The only thing that mattered was that he wanted her, was having her in every way and that Sable would never be the one to let go first.

Up the cavernous stairwell and down the hall, David could hear every whimpering moan down below. Did Domini have the same succulent scream as her friend or would she sing a fresh song for his ears? Would she bend or break beneath his body? The possibilities were endless and David was going to explore every one of them. He knew that Domini could withstand pain and he ached to draw it from her. David knew that somewhere deep inside of her, that Domini did not even know about, she needed the pain as much as she craved the pleasure. Max could never give her what David could. He would own her body first, and then her soul. It was going to be a long night but he knew she could take it. Domini _would_ take it, and she would beg for more, over and over and over...

_**Let me know if you're out there…Cheers, Harley**_


	7. Chapter 7

**~ Chapter 7 ~**

**_SO sorry about the coded posting mishap! Not really sure what happened there but thank you for letting me know! A special thanks to Stormy Sorrow for reposting in the middle of the night for me! If I may give back by shamelessly plugging her story, I highly recommend "The Shadow Riders"! _****:)**

**_Savanna, without an account it won't let me respond to you so other readers, please bear with me so I can respond. The best I can offer you at this point in time, without divulging any spoilers, is that David is attracted to Domini's unique qualities far more than he is drawn to her as a human being. The same goes for Marko. It is most definitely a game to them and they don't _****_feel_****_ in the way mortal men do. They exist only to feed their needs and to indulge their desires. It is not a matter of love by any means and the things that they do are inexcusable on every visceral level. The bet with Max simply adds an extended bonus feature to the game they were already playing. David and Marko want to own something and they are well on their way to getting what they want. Looking ahead though, rest assured there will be many plot twists to come! Or rather, don't rest at all. I'll try to keep you on edge as much as I can. Thank you so very much for investing in this story and for sharing your thoughts with me. I'm always so excited to hear what's on your mind! Here's an extra long chapter to make up for the last teaser of a chapter that did not post right away. Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

David placed Domini down onto the bed of the first room he came to. He had no patience for the things he wanted and he would not be denied a single one. David could smell the ripe sweetness emanating from her tender body. She wanted him; even though she did not yet know she would not be able to handle him. David would help her to adjust, so long as he was getting something out of it in the process.

She looked small there on the king-sized bed, lying in wait beneath his shadow as the moonlight poured in from the broken window. David climbed up over her, pressing himself down into her as she emitted the softest moan. He wasted no time in stripping her shirt over her head and roughly yanking down the strap of her bra over her shoulder.

He covered her breast with his mouth, dragging his curled lip across her flesh and tasting the ocean's salt on her skin. It would take every ounce of David's strength to hold back those fangs that ached to elongate and taste her sweet center. There was another part of him growing that could still be satisfied though and he ground his bulge against her, watching her writhe up to meet him.

He unhooked the small clasp between her breasts, grateful for the front hook. Bras were a waste of time and he was glad he would not have to rip through the only one she had left. David sat back on his heels, stripping away his coat and the leather jacket underneath. He reached behind him to draw up his black t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. He rested there, looking down at Domini, admiring her curves and mapping them out with his eyes.

David leaned down to lick his tongue over the nape of her neck and nestled his whisper in her ear. "I wanna' hear you say it, Domini."

Her body was on fire; the wet path of his strong tongue over her neck and David's hot breath in her ear was like gasoline to the flame inside her but for the life of her, Domini could not fathom what he wanted to hear.

"Please," she begged him, her hips moving in small circles beneath him.

David grinned down at her, flicking the pad of his thumb against the button of her shorts as they opened. "Please what, Domini?" he teased her, lowering the zipper and then moving it up again.

Domini felt she might actually die if he did not touch her soon. The absence of his hands, his kiss, was unbearable.

"Please, David," she breathed harder. "I _want_ you."

He nodded with a smirk, wanting to invade her mind as much as her body. "I want you too, sugar." He lowered the zipper of her shorts and splayed the folds to the side to expose the hint of her red panties. The rich color against her tanned skin drove him wild. "Tell me what you _need_, sugar," he teased, tucking his finger under the hem of her panties and grazing her soft skin underneath.

"Ohhh," she moaned, trying to raise her hips as David's strong thighs straddled them. Was he really going to make her say it? The hungry look in his eyes said yes. The alcohol was making her brain swim but it drowned her inhibitions to release a boldness she did not even think she possessed. Domini stared him straight in the eyes, those beautiful flame blue eyes. "Take me, David. Please," she begged. "I want you inside me now!" she moaned.

David cast his smirk over her, the curl of his lip lowering to her starved kiss. His tongue explored her sweet little mouth, sucking on her bottom lip until it swelled into a full pout even as she smiled.

"Oh God," she laughed softly as her head spun from the alcohol, from his flavored kisses and the need to have him. "How am I ever gonna' work tomorrow?" she sighed.

David grinned, rolling beside her to remove his pants as he whispered in her ear. "Darlin', you're not even gonna' be able to _walk_ tomorrow," his husky breath chuckled.

Domini turned her eyes to David's exposed form, his cock casting its own shadow across her as he knelt beside her. She swallowed hard, no longer worried about if she had consumed too much of the liquor. His thick width made her wish she had numbed herself more.

Moving over her again, David kissed his way down her body, dragging her shorts down her bared thighs. He admired her body with a grin, that beautiful red of her panties the only thing left between them. He pushed her thighs apart, the soft scruff of his cheek grazing her as he inhaled her sweet scent. David rested his cheek against her thigh, looking up at the flush in her cheeks and feeling the heat radiate off of her as he traced his finger up and down the smooth dampened line of her panties. Her moan was music to his ears and he played her like a fiddle, gently pushing the soft cotton inside her.

Domini wanted him so badly and he was enjoying teasing her. She grasped at the nape of his neck, begging him to come up to her kiss and move his body overtop of hers. His resistance was maddening and his willpower was far greater than hers.

"David please!" she begged, the ache too great to bear.

He chuckled softly, his breath cool over the heat of her center. David lowered his mouth to lick his way up the dampened path of her panties. His teeth gripped the tiny lace hem and tore them against the resistance of her body, shredding them out of his way.

Domini gave no thought to what she would wear the next day in replace of them. She had only one purpose and that was to feel David moving inside her, to fill her completely. She clawed at his strong shoulders, pulling at him as his tongue slipped inside her, driving deep and then curling up to suckle the hard nub of her swell. Domini convulsed beneath his tongue, the stubble of his jaw burning her thigh as he devoured her.

He had needed to taste her before he took her. He ached to know if her sweetness was like every other girl he had ever had or different because of the loss and recovery of her life force. His tongue lapped at the honeysuckle sweetness of dew that melted over his lips. Her sweet musky scent filled his lungs and he found an underlying taste no other would detect. It was like the ripest pear, plucked from Eden itself. David could only imagine her blood was just as fresh. Somehow, having crossed over and come back, Domini had been blessed with twice the freshness of new life and David was sure he could live off of it for eternity, even without the blood he so desired. To own the little vixen beneath him would be the ultimate prize and David was in her to win her. He would drink and drain Domini in every way he was allowed.

Keeping his tongue inside her, David played the pad of his thumb over the swelling knot of her clit. He rubbed her slowly at first, faster as she began to buck against his chin. David buried his grin between her thighs, alternating between his tongue deep within her and only his breath over her.

He was driving her mad and Domini was certain she could not handle much more of his teasing. Each touch sent her into a series of trembles that rocked her to the core David teased with his tongue. She raked her fingers through his hair, trying to keep him over her without the retreating passes he made just to toy with her. Domini pulled him to her but David's resistance only reminded her who was truly in charge.

She could not pinpoint a single step that had led her to David's bed, his smirk kissing her thighs, his tongue exploring her in the most intimate way possible. Earlier that night she had cried for him, afraid she would never know the feeling of his touch. Domini's greatest fear at that moment was that she would depend on the need for it from then on.

David licked his grin and slipped his finger deep inside her, his knuckles grazing her swollen lips. He felt her writhe around him as he withdrew, wrapping his lips around his finger and drawing her deepest taste to his tongue. It was the last moment David was going to waste as his knees pushed her thighs farther apart and he climbed over her body.

Wrapping her thighs around his waist to draw David into her, she felt his strong hands force her hips down to the mattress. He was rough but Domini felt no threat of fear, only want for him.

David pinned her thighs to her sides above her hips, giving himself room to work as he wet the tip of his cock on that sweet essence that devoured his senses. He pushed gently inside her, knowing that the wrong kind of thrust would tear right through her. David knelt over Domini's hot little body, hoping she would somehow adjust to him. If he made her bleed, he would not be capable of stopping himself from draining every last sweet drop.

He lowered his lips to hers, keeping her kiss focused as he drew the breath from her lungs. He eased himself inside, only slightly, as her body enveloped him. Despite the shake that began to rise over him, David tried to remain patient.

The pain was excruciating for her and yet, deeper down where he had not yet reached, there was an ache of need that begged to make contact with him. Domini could feel him holding back, trying not to hurt her as David continued to slide deeper, only a fraction at a time. She gripped onto his smooth muscles, needing to hold onto him in any way she could. God help her, David was not yet even half way inside her!

Despite the sting of his slow motion push, David was so turned on just by being inside her, he denied himself, keeping to the agonizing pace. When he reached the limit of her body, he would have total possession of her.

Those sweet and trusting eyes looked up at him with such need. David was convinced he could have her in any way he wanted without a single hint of reservation on Domini's part.

The next day, David knew she would try to reason her compliance by blaming the alcohol but they both knew better. He was inside her body which would keep him in her head long after he pulled out. That very night would keep Domini coming back for more, begging him to appease the need he was placing inside her, inch by inch. Domini would succumb to him just as she was then.

He imagined her like a lost kitten, pacing outside the cave, begging to be taken in, fed, cleaned and rubbed. David would do all of those things, and in return, Domini would be his pet, and David, her master. The distraction of his thoughts was no match for the tight heat of her body as he neared her depth. He had held back for her sake long enough.

His tongue dominated her kiss, stealing her breath. With one hard thrust, David found himself buried to the hilt inside her and he allowed Domini to refill her lungs with a pained gasp. He could hear the rustle of the sheet as she clenched it tight in her hands. David waited patiently as her pulsing muscles throbbed around his cock until it pained him not to move. He kissed her again, softly, as much as he loathed having to comfort her before he could fuck the girl unconscious.

"Relax, Domini. You have to relax," he whispered.

The sharp pain inside her was overwhelming but David's voice called to her from somewhere far away outside of herself. She could feel her body's grip around him begin to melt ever so slowly as she came back to him. Domini opened her eyes and found David there, at the center of her, and above her. She tried to slow her breathing before she hyperventilated and Domini found a quiet calm in David's eyes that centered her again. She nodded slowly, afraid; a single tear slipping down her flushed cheek.

His tongue licked the salty wet path over her cheek. His curled lips reached for her kiss, his tongue dancing against hers. David slowly began to withdraw but she was so tight around him that he had to hold her hips down to keep her body from coming up with his. He did not dare pull all the way out of her, knowing that the pained swell of her body would not allow him back in without force. He eased himself down into her again, giving her time to adjust. The tight velvet walls of her muscles both clamped around him and resisted him at the same time.

Some force would be necessary but David had quickly lost his will to aid the girl. Her body was his and his cock was consuming her, invading her, and now he was ready to conquer her.

David threw caution to the wind and thrust deep inside her, Domini's scream filling his ears as he grinned. He could smell her fear as strongly as their scents as they mixed together. He pounded his hips against hers, bruising the bones with his powerful thrusts. David could not help himself and he could not help Domini anymore either.

He ravaged the girl's body, getting his fill with every deep push inside her. Her screams slowly turned to moans and he was thankful she had succumbed and he would not have to make any apologies the next night. It was exhausting playing to her needs and it was high time at least some of his own needs were met, in any way he could have them.

He fucked her body raw, feeling her heat raise his own body temperature. She came over and over, swelling around him from his hard thrusts but David was not done yet. It was not over until he said it was and David still wanted more. He rocked his hips faster, so close to the brink he hungered to break through. Her moans were wild and driving him on more. As Domini's hands grasped at his back, he felt her nails draw up his skin, the fresh sting of his blood breaking the surface.

David came immediately, smelling his own blood in the air and burying himself as deep as her body would allow. He trembled inside her, emptying until he collapsed over Domini. He rested there, listening to her heart racing and finally slid himself out from inside her. David rolled onto his back, a sheen of sweat coating his cooling body.

Domini could not move to follow him. Her body felt broken but more alive than ever. She could feel every cell inside her and they all ached both from and for David. She slipped her hand down to her side into his and felt his strong touch. Domini had been with men before but David was nothing like any one of them. He was pure power and dominating skill. She had no words and was almost grateful for the silence he let hang in the air for some time.

David rolled to his side, kissing her lips and wrapped his arm across her naked body. "I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked.

She had to laugh, both from the rushing endorphins and the absurdity of his late concern. "It was a good hurt," Domini breathed.

He appreciated her lie and she was good at it, but David was better. He knew it had not all been good for her but she had satisfied him. Domini had never once uttered the word 'no' and he respected that. She could take pain and he admired that too. When the time came, she would learn to love to inflict it as well.

"How 'bout some water, sugar," he grinned. "I can't have you dehydrating on me."

She nodded with vigor. Domini felt depleted of every ounce of energy she had ever possessed. "Please," she breathed, still trying to calm her racing heart.

David kissed her again, taking her taste with him as he wrapped his trench coat around his naked body, no intention of fully dressing if he could have her again that night. The moon's position in the sky told him it was barely even three. There were still a few good hours to play with before the sun called him to sleep.

He made his way down the hall, lighting up a cigarette and slowing on the stone stairwell as moans echoed up to his ears. David stepped silently down the corridor until the fire lit room came into view.

He sat down on the step, taking a deep drag off his cigarette and blowing the smoke toward Marko as he thrust into Sable with soft grunts. He was pleased that the boy had worked the girl over so fast. In two days Marko had fucked Sable's mind _and_ body. He was impressive and David was proud as he watched his brother take his fill of her.

Marko was buried inside her, moving in small circles inside her to stretch her body further. Her moans were buried in his ear and he slid his hand down to rub her clit, wanting her louder. He had already taken her multiple times but Marko could not get enough. She was so pliable and it was a thrill to be the girl's master and commander. He owned every inch of her supple body and Marko still made her want more. He was long past pushing her mind, having already fucked it into total submission. Marko was driven on pure lust then and Sable had plenty to offer him. She welcomed every inch of him, begging him for more and he would not disappoint.

"Ohhh yeahhh," Marko growled, rubbing that little nub into a frenzy as Sable quivered around his cock. "You want me to make you come again, baby?" he cooed.

Sable could hear him but could barely find the breath to answer. Her body ached and begged at the same time. Marko's hands swarmed her body, gripping her skin and repositioning her legs every few minutes to make her come harder all over again. She felt like she was in a dream, there in the moment fully, and yet removed from it all like it was happening to someone else. It was indescribable and Sable felt as if her life depended on Marko staying inside her just one minute longer, every – single - minute as the hours had passed.

Marko could feel David watching him work Sable over. He could smell the smoke from his cigarette and hear his exhale from the stairs. Marko sat back on Sable's thighs, grinning at David and motioning him over.

David approached slowly from behind her, finding Sable lost somewhere between a dream and unconsciousness. He chuckled at her rising hips as Marko circled her clit with the pad of his thumb, still buried deep inside her.

"Boy, I'd say you literally fucked her brains out," he snickered.

Marko nodded. "More than a few times."

Taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing it into her face, David just wanted to see if she would react. Her glazed eyes did not even blink away. "Are you still pushing her?" David wondered.

"Just pushing _into_ her," Marko smirked. "How's Domini?" he asked, his eyes looking to the floor above.

David grinned, "Satisfied."

Marko nodded, his finger still playing Sable into submission as he rubbed her faster, making her show off her moans for David. He looked up at him with a sly smile. "Ya want a piece?"

He shook his head. "Another time." David looked down at the naked girl, her flushed skin flawless against her fiery hair. He could not carry her taste back to Domini but it was too tempting not to have some part of the hot little thing that was so ready to go. "But I'd like her to taste Domini," David smirked. "Somebody oughta know that sweetness besides just me," he snickered.

Marko licked his lips. "I know I can make her want her. But I can't do anything to make Domini respond."

David took another drag off his cigarette, feeling his cock swell at the thought. "I've got her sweet taste all over me," he grinned.

Nodding, Marko sat back, keeping his thumb on her hard little clit, rubbing Sable's own essence over her for added lubrication. "Have at her, man," he grinned.

David put his back to Marko, opening the flaps of his coat as his cock reached for her thirsty lips. He enjoyed the sound of her moans, different from Domini's. "You want _me_ to push her?" he asked, knowing that her free will wanted Marko, not him. But a few more days of Marko twisting her head around and she would please every last one of them at a snap of their fingers.

Marko appreciated David's willingness to let him continue his work and finish what he started, even though David could have easily taken over.

He slipped his fingers inside her, waking her mind as she stared at him. _Tomorrow, you're only gonna remember me movin inside you, giving you everything you've ever wanted. But tonight, you're gonna take David on. And you're gonna take real good care of him, Sable._ _You're gonna wrap that pretty little mouth around him and suck him til he says you're done. And then you're gonna forget it ever happened._ He pushed his fingers deeper inside Sable, rubbing her clit as she moaned, reaching aimlessly for David.

Sable could feel herself going through motions but there was a cloud over her mind that made each second strip away from her memory as quickly as it happened.

David grinned, watching Sable take him into her mouth, tasting her friend without even knowing she was doing it. Her tongue wrapped around him, her throat relaxing to let him in as he eased his way inside. "Ohhh, yeah," he moaned, gripping Sable's fiery hair in his fist as he fucked her pert little mouth with ease. It would not take him long to come and it was one of the many benefits of being a vampire. They died with the seed that was inside them. And like a cut that healed over, replenishing the skin, that well of semen could be separated from them but it just refilled minutes later.

"David?" Domini called from upstairs.

He groaned, gripping Sable's hair and sliding over her tongue faster. "Coming!" he yelled honestly flooding into her throat and trembling against her lips.

David finished inside her with a smile and passed her back like the wind-up toy they had made her. "Well done, Marko," he breathed hard. "She's gonna' be a good pet, to all of us," he grinned.

Marko basked in David's approval. "I think she's gonna' do very well here. And once the girls are turned, they're gonna' make it so much easier to lure in fresh blood."

Their laughter filled the cave as David retrieved a bottle of water from the cooler Dwayne had stocked for the girls earlier that night. On his way up the stairs, he watched Marko slide into Sable again. There was no stopping him once he got started and David liked that about him. He had Sable wrapped around his little finger, _and_ his cock, and he had her wanting more of both.

Once she was theirs, Domini would have no choice but to submit, or risk losing the only family she had. Then, David would own them all. They were halfway home already. The second half would be the most fun though.

Climbing the stairs, David's mind filled with images of bringing the two girls together when the time was right. A tangled maze of lips and limbs would be a night to remember. Once they were turned, the girls would be open to anything and everything and he would take full advantage of the concubine he was creating. He would take their lives and give them eternity in return. David would be their God and they would worship him for it. Having to wait and bide his time only made David resentful though. Lucky for him there was a beautiful little thing just steps away, willing to make it up to him.

He smirked at Domini's naked body, still flat on her back as he had left her. She had not moved an inch and he could not wait to catch the scent of the aftermath of the pain she would be in for days to come. The longer Domini took to heal though, the less he could play with her mind and body. That simply would not do.

David crawled up from the foot of the bed, snaking his tongue up the length of her body until he reached her parched lips. They were beautifully swollen from his kisses; pouty, even with her smile.

"How are ya' princess?" he smiled, passing her the bottle.

She adored hearing David call her such a sweet name. He was her king in that moment and she had never felt so close to anyone so fast. Domini could feel him lift her up, propping her against the pillow so she could drink and Domini was grateful. She did not think she would ever be able to move again on her own, a puppet on his strings.

"Thank you," she whispered hoarsely.

David smirked, the scent of both girls fresh under his nose. "For fucking you senseless or for the water?"

Her smile fell, the sobriety of those words sinking in. Had that been all it was to him? She took a long drink, unsure of what words to use that would not make her sound pathetic in the wake of his revelation.

David studied her eyes, even as they turned away from him. Years of listening to the private thoughts of girls he had preyed on had taught him the looks that accompanied the inner workings of their minds. He knew his mistake as it reflected in Domini's eyes.

"It was a crude choice of words," he said, trying to look sympathetic. "You have to know it's not like that, right?"

She nodded, wanting to believe him. David was unnaturally attractive and Domini knew she was in over her head. She had not had any intention of sleeping with him that night or any night so soon. It pained her to think that she could be disposable in David's eyes.

"Hey," he whispered, tipping her chin up so she had to look at him. "You're not having regrets already are you?" he smiled.

Domini had to smile when those lips curled her way. It was inevitable. "No. Are you?" she asked softly.

"I don't _do_ regret, sugar," David grinned. "I know what I like and when I find it, I don't let up." He brushed her hair softly, cradling the back of her neck as he kissed her. "And I like you, Domini. So I'm not going anywhere."

She felt at peace with his honesty. No one was that good of a liar and David could not fake tenderness like he had shown her. His poor choice of words had given her a moment's hesitation but it was fleeting. He was a man's man after all and Domini reasoned that David was not used to being vulnerable in front of anyone, much less a girl. She felt honored that he had those moments with her and he was learning his way through whatever it was between them, just as she was. She kissed David softly, silent gratitude for saying the right things when she needed them most.

She finished the water, knowing there would be no stopping the hangover she would have the next day. Domini slipped down with a wince as her muscles resisted the slight movement. She took David's arm and drew it across herself, tucked into his embrace. Domini could feel herself sinking into the soft mattress, drifting off as soon as she closed her eyes.

David was confused a moment, wondering if she had really just fallen asleep on him. He had hours yet before the sun rose and he had no intention of spending an ounce of it watching his little mortal morsel sleep.

Was this the price he would have to pay for winning her over? It hardly seemed fair. Max barely had to put forth any effort to be fatherly. Although, David was definitely getting the better end of the deal.

He looked over her naked body, making plans for every inch of it. It was still a small consolation for wasting the rest of a perfectly good night being cuddled. David shuddered and rolled his eyes, grimacing at the decayed ceiling and using his time to make plans for the following night.

When Domini woke, it was still dark. She had the feeling that time had passed but could not be sure how much. She knew she had slept deeply but remembered no dreams. Domini did not dream very often anyway. There were mostly nightmares. That night, there had been nothing and she wondered if David's presence had kept them at bay. She felt safe under his arm but Domini's reach came up empty as she felt across the sheets. Even he could not have protected her from the throbbing in her head that resonated through every depleted muscle in her body. Disoriented and alone, Domini wondered what time it was and where David could be.

She rose up slowly, forcing each limb to move as she stumbled to the drawn curtain David must have closed in the middle of the night. She could see tiny breaks of light behind the thick drape. Domini pulled it back, looking at the light, barely visible over the ocean. Was it rising or setting?

She left a break in the curtain to allow a hint of light, just enough to find her clothes. She stared down at her torn panties, sighing and pulling on her shorts.

Slipping downstairs, Domini had to hold onto the wall for support. She was grateful for the firelight of the sunken lobby that did not overwhelm her eyes. She could see Sable and Marko talking quietly on the couch and Domini was glad to see her friend. Dwayne and Paul were playing cards on an old black trunk and David smoked quietly in his chair, greeting her with a grin.

"Good evening, princess." He met her on the stairs, chuckling as he met her to help her down where she collapsed on the sofa. "How'd you sleep?"

"Long apparently," she whispered, her throat still burning from the liquor, the moaning, and the breath that she had fought for while he devoured her the night before.

"What time is it?" she asked with a groggy groan.

The men looked at one another with smiles. Time was kept by the need to feed and Paul's stomach was growling. "After eight."

Domini groaned, holding her head. She had slept the whole day away. She could not remember the last time she had slept so long. Her body had needed it. Her body had needed a lot of things she had gotten the night before, although the liquor had not been one of them.

"Ya alright there?" David grinned, wondering if that was her heart or her head pounding in his ears.

Domini shook her head slowly, stopping as it made her dizzy. "Never trust a liquor older than you are. It's been around longer and it'll beat you every time."

"I'm not real concerned," David smirked. "Concerned about _you_ though." The lie tasted sweet on his tongue. He petted her hair softly as she leaned against his shoulder. The morning after, girls were always clingy. David did not mind, because he knew he would be having her again in a matter of hours. "I'll take care of you, princess," he whispered.

Marko nudged Sable with a grin. "I've monopolized you enough. Why don't you go sit with your friend?" It may have sounded like a question but his eyes had given her an order and Sable followed it.

She moved blindly across to the couch and sat down beside Domini, staring at her and David. She looked right through them.

"Sable?"

Watching her friend, Domini felt like she was looking at a stranger. Sable looked vacant and tired. There was a daze about her like she was shell-shocked and Domini pulled away from David's arm to shake her softly.

"Sable, what's wrong?"

What was the right answer? Sable knew it was a simple question and her friend's words told her that something _must_ be wrong. But without being given the answer, Sable suddenly felt helpless and floundered under the pressure.

David glared at Marko, warning him to fix it, and fast.

_Answer her now_, Marko pushed. _Tell her you're fine_.

Dwayne and Paul sat up at attention as their game came to a sudden and distinct halt.

Sable felt a nudge at the corners of her mind that made it ache even more than it already had. It was the feeling of pressure like a vice was wrapped around her head. Everything else inside her felt like a blank slate, erased and waiting to be written on.

"Sweetie, what is it?" Domini pressed, taking her hand.

David clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth with a low growl only the boys could hear. He faced Sable from over Domini's shoulder, drawing her eyes to his. _You're hungover and need more sleep_, he pushed.

Sable felt a rise of air fill her lungs, pushing out the words she had been provided. "I'm just hungover, Dom. I need more sleep."

The girl looked like a zombie and she was sure that sleep would do Sable a lot of good. Domini had to wonder just what had happened down in the lobby the night before. She wanted details but knew she would have to wait until they were alone.

"Tonight, Sable," she said gently, worried about the girl's fragile condition. "We have to get work now but you'll sleep tonight."

**_No_**, David pushed, hating to have to clean up Marko's mess. The last thing her shattered mind needed was more than one voice echoing around in her head that could split her consciousness off into a maze. There was no other way though. He shot Marko a snarl of disapproval but took care of it for him.

_You're not going to work tonight, Sable. You're going to stay here and sleep_. David grimaced and pushed her again. _Get her out the damn door, girl._

Sable rubbed her eyes and held her head. "I'm not going, Domini," she said quietly. "Tell Max I'm sick. Tell him I'm sorry." She looked at her friend with weary eyes. "I'm sorry, Dom. Just go."

Across the room, Marko chewed at his nail. How had he lost her? He knew he had pushed her a lot but she should have been able to take so much more. Even worse than losing his grip over Sable though, was gaining David's fury in his direction. He knew he would have to feed before he could push Sable again. It took energy to push energy and Marko was as worn out as Sable was. It was temporary though and he would make it up to David; or rather, he would have Sable make it up to him.

Unable to believe what she was hearing, Domini shook her head. "Look, I'm hungover too but we still have to go. It's our second night there, Sable. You can't just call out."

David put his hands on Domini's shoulders, rubbing her sore muscles as he watched Sable. _It's not up for discussion._

"I just can't, okay? I'm staying here." Sable sighed, feeling her tone switch from defensive to offensive. "Just go. I'll be here when you get back."

David could feel Domini wince under his hands. It had to sting her to watch her friend abandon her out of nowhere. It had to be that way though.

"No, we're going _together_, Sable," she snapped.

It was as good a time as any to start driving the wedge between the girls. He smirked at Sable, brushing his nose along the nape of Domini's neck.

_Are you gonna' let her tell you what to do?_ David knew that Sable wouldn't, not so long as _he_ was telling what to do.

"Back off, Dom," Sable glared. "I think I've done enough of what you wanted lately."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Domini could no longer tell if she was angry or just hurt by Sable. Was she mad that Domini had left her with Marko and gone upstairs the night before? Domini knew that could not be it or Sable would not want to stay there with him. "What's going on?" she pleaded.

Sable groaned. "I didn't even _want_ that job in the first place," she spat. "So run along, Domini," she patronized her. "Go punch that clock like the good girl you are."

David was highly impressed with how malleable Sable was. It was no wonder Marko had burned himself out on her. She was primed and good to go. David still had another part to play in addition to puppeteer.

"_Don't_ talk to her like that," he scowled at Sable. It was a thrill to set the girl up just to knock her back down.

Domini reached back, touching David's cheek lightly. She appreciated his protectiveness but this was between them. She told herself that Sable was exhausted and hungover, despite the gripping knot invading her gut.

"It's fine, Sable," she said shortly. "If that's what you want, then I'll go by myself." Domini glared at her. "I mean if that's alright with _you_."

"Do what you want," Sable shrugged, feeling her anger slough away. "And I'll do the same."

What more was there to say? Domini gave her a curt nod, praying Sable would be herself again after some sleep. Maybe Sable would even have enough time to come up with a good apology before Domini got back.

"David, will you take me to Max's, please?" she asked.

"Course," he nodded, making sure she watched him keeping a disapproving eye on Sable. He needed Domini to believe he was on her side so she would come to him instead of her friend in the future. "Come upstairs with me?" he asked her.

She took his hand and followed David up to the room where she fell against his strong chest and tried not to cry. Sable had never talked to her like that before and it felt foreign and surreal. They had never had that kind of relationship and Domini took it to heart. She questioned herself, wondering if any of it was true. Had she been leading her? Making Sable follow her? Domini had only ever wanted what was best and she thought they had been equal partners in every decision they made. She would never make Sable do something she did not want to, with the exception of the job that they needed. Max's words hung heavy on her. That splinter was digging right through Domini's heart.

"Shhh," he whispered, feeling Domini's heart race against his chest. He could smell the saline brimming at her eyes but he knew Domini would not allow herself to cry. She would be strong. "It's okay, Domini. She'll come around. She just needs to sleep it off." David held her back so he could look at her. "I'll watch over her. We all will."

She took a deep breath and found renewed strength in David's assurance. He said it and he would do it. "I'm so glad you're here," Domini whispered, kissing his soft lips and wishing she could stay. "Thank you."

He reached down, pulling up the hem of her tank top.

"David," she laughed. "I have to get to work."

He smirked, slipping her shirt over her head anyway. "While I appreciate that you think I want you naked right now, and I do," he grinned, "it's really just a matter of sending you off to work in something clean."

She felt like an idiot as David reached over his shoulders, drawing up the back of his shirt and pulling it over his head. Domini smiled at his fresh black t-shirt, imagining a closet filled with identical black t-shirts since the one he had worn the night before was still on the floor beside her torn panties.

He slipped it over her, grinning at the nightshirt it looked like on her small frame. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him and ghosting his nose over her neck, smelling his scent mix with her own. "The panties aren't getting replaced," he grinned.

"Well I'm glad there's not an extra pair lying around," Domini laughed.

It was funny, there were. The girls' clothes were still in the room where Marko had put them. Not to mention the occasional g-string left behind by carryout meals they had brought home.

"How about I pick you up some clothes while you're working?"

Domini was warmed by David's willingness to take such good care of her. It was something she had longed for and lacked for so long. "That would be great. Thank you." She paused, smiling as she wondered what he would pick out for her. David's taste seemed to consist only of leather and black t-shirts. "Um, do you even know my taste?" she asked with a laugh.

He kissed her deeply, snaking his hand down her body to rub her over her shorts with a grin. "Oh I _know_ your taste, sugar. And I'll be thinking about it for the next few hours until I can have another."

She felt a chill run up her spine as her stomach flip-flopped with a thrill of excitement. "It's a date," she smiled.

David wished she had not said that. The idea of dating made it seem like it would take forever before he could take her over. But she could call it whatever she wanted. David knew he had Domini under his thumb and he smirked at the small circles he would rub over her with it later that night.

"Alright, princess. Let's ride," he smiled, taking her hand and leading her back downstairs.

Domini almost did not even look at Sable as they passed through the lobby. She could not help herself though.

Marko looked up as Sable slept with her head on his lap. He nodded with an apologetic frown, letting her think he was sorry for keeping her friend up all night and causing the friction that ensued in front of everyone. Marko's eyes assured her that Sable would be alright and they would take care of her.

She nodded back to him, hoping David was right and that Sable would be herself by the time she returned. Sable could not stay mad forever. Domini needed her too much. She was glad she could count on David in the meantime. Otherwise, Domini would be completely alone.


	8. Chapter 8

**~ Chapter 8 ~**

**_Can I just say how much you all warm my heart? Thank you so much for your insight and support! Hearing that you are reading into this story and investing in each character is a huge part of why I write. So thank you for motivating me to write faster! And welcome new readers, guests and returning members! So far this bet has been awfully one-sided so I felt it was time Max had a little page time. I hope you'll enjoy this extra long chapter! Things are going to take some sharp turns up ahead so brace yourselves and hold on tight! I hope you enjoy! Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The video store was buzzing by the time David and Domini arrived. She did not know how she was going to explain to Max that Sable was not coming and that she was the only help he would be getting that night. Domini did not want to see his face. She wanted to hide in David's arms and stay buried there.

"You're going to be fine," David told her, watching her drag her feet. It did not matter much to him whether she went in or quit the job outright. David was hungry and he was ready to feed. A few minutes longer and Domini would not be _fine_ around him at all. "I'll pick you up at midnight," he smiled.

She nodded, wishing she could believe him. But if David said she would be alright, something told her that she would.

As he started off toward the shops along the Boardwalk, Domini caught up with him, kissing his soft lips. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'll pay you back, for the clothes," she smiled.

David grinned. "You can pay me in 'pleases' later tonight."

She knew she probably would. Domini stole one last kiss and headed for the store to meet her fate.

"She's wearing your clothes now?" Max asked, coming up behind David as Domini disappeared inside.

He lit a smoke and exhaled toward the store. "Fitting, since I wore _her_ last night."

Max frowned with disgust but it was short lived as he gained new perspective. "I don't at all envy the awkwardness between the two of you when you share my blood. She's going to be sick to her stomach every time she looks at you," he smiled. "It's just too incestuous."

"Maybe you didn't notice, but you sent two girls home last night and only one came back. I'm half way home." David was not at all worried. "In fact, Marko's making Sable very _much_ at home as we speak."

"You still think the fastest way to Domini is through her friend. You're wasting your energy _and_ your time," Max smiled with confidence.

"My energy's _never_ wasted. _She's_ a little worn out though," he smirked. "And time is on my side thanks to you," he shrugged. "With shorter hours for Domini, you've really given me a leg up." He grinned, "I'll have both _her_ legs up tonight – _again_."

"I'm not helping you by a long shot. On the contrary, David," Max smiled. "I'm giving you just enough rope to hang yourself with."

He blew out a stream of smoke from his smirking lips. "Good thing I don't hang from my neck then huh, old man?" David kicked the heel of his boot into the sole of the other, saluting with militant respect as he turned on the angle and strolled off into the night.

Maria smiled at Max as he came in. "Hey, Max. I was just heading out for the night." She looked to Domini. "I mean, if that's still okay."

"Why wouldn't it be?" he asked, acutely aware of how things were going to play out, and right into his hand.

Domini could feel Maria's eyes on her, and then Max's. She took a deep breath but the words did not come out with it. It took her another before she could force it out. "Max, Sable's not coming. She's sick and she just couldn't make it. She wanted to, but...I'm so sorry."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "You don't need to make excuses for her. We'll make do," he nodded.

"You sure?" Maria asked.

He looked to Domini and then asked Maria, "Actually could you stay for just a moment longer please?" She nodded as he motioned for Domini to follow him back to his office where he closed the door.

Every step hurt as she moved and Domini felt like she was being sent to the Principal's office after getting caught ditching class. "She really is sick," Domini started, afraid he did not believe her.

Max nodded. "I don't doubt that she is." He watched her with careful eyes. "But who is taking care of Sable while you're here?"

There was a double knot in the pit of her stomach and her head was still throbbing. "Marko is taking care of her. We're staying with David and his friends – for now." She thought that if she made it sound temporary it might be better. Domini knew from the look in Max's eyes that it did not matter anymore.

"I see," he nodded, lacing his slender fingers together. "And you're not worried about her?" Max wondered. "Your only friend in the world, sick and alone, staying with four men you met only days ago?"

It was a perspective Domini did not want to think about. "David will take care of her," she assured him. Of course David was not there. He was out on the Boardwalk doing her a favor. But Sable trusted Marko and she had wanted to stay with him. "She'll be fine."

"And if she's not?" he asked. "Will they put her on the back of a motorcycle and hope she stays on as they ride her to the closest hospital?"

She knew that Sable was not that sick, just hungover. Domini could not tell Max that though. She was not sure if Sable was coming back to work at all but she did not want to ruin her friend's chances.

She sounded like a broken record. "They'll take care of her," Domini promised.

He nodded. "I hope the same is true of you." Max stood up to leave but only made it to the door before Domini stopped him.

"What do you mean?"

He turned back, looking down on her in every way he could. "I've seen many girls turn their back on good friends when a boy comes along. I did not peg you for being one of them, Domini," he frowned.

She felt like she had just been punched in the stomach, for the second time that night. "I'm not," she said softly. "I'm sorry." What exactly she was apologizing for, Domini was not certain.

"Don't be sorry. Be smart," he warned her as gently as he could. "I'm not disappointed in you, Domini. I'm just surprised is all. I misjudged you before getting to know you and it was my mistake." Max knew he did not need to say any more. Domini would torture herself far worse than he ever could.

He turned his back on her and left her in his office, stepping out with a smile to help while he listened to her crying softly behind him.

Marko paced the cave floor with a violent stride. He wanted to wake Sable and make her hurt as much as he was allowed. He loathed her weakness and the energy she had drained him of. She had made him look a fool in front of David and he would have hell to pay for putting his brother in a situation where Domini could have become suspicious of the unresponsive girl.

What good was a doll that could not be played with? She would make it up to them both and he had nothing but time to think of all the ways Sable could try.

He considered ripping her up off the couch and fucking her right into the cave floor, just to make her suffer and cry. He could always erase the memory later after he had fed. Marko would remember though. He wanted to make Sable sorry and he was ready to teach her the true meaning of the word.

Just as he took his first step toward her, Marko heard the rapid flapping outside and flew through the corridor. He was on the girl in Dwayne's arms before his brother could even touch the ground. Marko sunk his fangs into her flesh, swallowing her life-force with vigor until her body began to collapse in on itself, emaciating her. He tossed the waste to the side and snaked the screaming girl from Paul's hands.

"Whoa-ho!" Paul laughed.

Marko gnawed through her flesh, devouring her with rabid thirst. He could feel the adrenaline rising and his full energy replenishing. Marko was going to need it when he got a hold of Sable.

Dwayne kicked his boot at the dried sack of a girl on the ground. She was like an empty caved in juice box. "There's nothing left," he scowled. "What the hell, Marko?" He paused with a huff and turned around, jumped on his bike, and headed off back to the Boardwalk.

Paul watched Marko feed as he snickered. "You suck it, you chuck it, man. Take out this trash when you're done. We'll be back," he laughed, taking after Dwayne.

Sable stirred on the couch, feeling like she was only half waking from the throes of a dream. There were images just on the tip of her mind but as soon as they started to come into focus, they disappeared just as fast. She had flashing clips of memories, good ones; Marko smiling over her lips and kissing her, the feeling of him moving gently inside her. But then there was Domini. Had they had a fight? Something about work?

Looking around the cave, the only movement was from the shadows dancing on the walls from the flickering firelight. Had Domini gone on to work? Sable vaguely recalled not wanting to go, probably because she was so tired. She could only imagine that Domini had been mortified at having to go in alone. Sable hoped she would be back soon. She owed her an explanation; even though Sable was not sure she had a good one.

Wondering where Marko was, she rose up on unsteady feet, gravity pulling on every muscle in Sable's aching body from the inside out. She felt broken and could only wonder what had happened the night before. Her jaw felt almost bruised in its throbbing pain and Sable had to guess she had bumped it against something.

She made her way up the stone corridor of the stairwell, hoping to find Marko. She had a lot of questions and very few answers. She turned into the first door on the left but found it empty. Domini's torn panties were on the floor though and Sable had to smile, surprised but glad that her friend had enjoyed herself before their fight at least.

Sable slipped into the adjoining bathroom, wishing there was electricity so she could have some light. What little moonlight came through the frosted window in the shower was barely enough to see but she could imagine that she looked as bad as she felt. The mirror was broken out and shards filled the sink.

"I know how you feel," she whispered softly, looking down over the broken pieces.

Taking one carefully in her hand, Sable held it up to catch the moonlight's reflection. Her eyeliner had bled into the bags under her eyes and she looked like a raccoon. Sable licked her finger, smudging it away and cleaning herself up. Her lipstick had long since worn away but her lips appeared red and swollen. She could vaguely remember making out heavily with Marko, before it turned into more. Sable wished she could remember it all, or at least more of it. She had far too much to drink and it was costing her in blackouts.

She lowered the shard of mirror to her legs, feeling the sting of pain all over. In the soft light, Sable could see small, round, dark spots with curved lines above them. She looked closer as her eyes adjusted, finding the fingerprint bruises and half-moon cuts from nails. Just how rough had Marko been? Had she resisted? Was she drugged? It might explain more than a few things.

Sable's hand began to tremble, wavering the reflection in the shard of mirror as she raised it to her neck. Her eyes kept refocusing in the dark between her flesh and the empty room behind her.

It was impossible for Sable to see Marko's raging eyes as he stalked his way up behind her. He stood only inches away and it excited him to be so close without Sable having an inkling that she was not alone, that she was in grave danger and that he was about to pounce on her.

Domini sniffled, wiping her eyes and trying to pull herself together. Of course Max had the worst possible impression of her. She was a terrible friend and maybe Domini _had_ gotten caught up in the whirlwind that followed David. She had come to work her first two nights in a row and cried in Max's office both times. And she had come alone that night, leaving her friend even more alone. Domini felt useless and lost and she wanted to leave, find David and have him take her back to Sable. Besides, Max would not want someone like her there anymore.

Max ducked his head into the office, sighing as he closed the door behind him. "Come here," he said softly as Domini ran into his arms. He held her while she sobbed and rubbed her back softly. "It's alright." He changed his approach in a flash. "It's not alright. I'm sorry, Domini. Please don't cry."

He was so pleased to see her breaking it was difficult to get the words out. He took great pride in comforting her though and Max knew that she would become an excellent part of his family when the time came. She was so desperate to be loved and, despite what David thought, the girl needed comfort more than companionship.

"Please forgive me," Max whispered.

"Forgive _you_? For what?" she cried.

He sat her down in the chair, bending on his knee before her, keeping low so she could look down on him for once. "I should never have said those things to you, Domini. I've no right to judge you at all. You know what's best for yourself and you've made it this far. You did not get here without smart choices and I need to trust that. I never meant to upset you." Max frowned. "I am ashamed of myself and I'm sorry."

"It's not you," she whimpered, starting all over again to calm herself. "So much has happened these past couple days and everything is moving so fast. I don't know if I'm up or down anymore and I don't know what to grab onto."

"Alice down the rabbit hole," Max smiled.

She had to laugh. "Yeah, something like that."

Domini felt pulled in so many directions. It was not that she did not have anyone to hold onto, she just did not know where to turn at any given moment. It depended on who she was with at the time. Max was stable and fatherly and a wise man who listened. David was exciting and adored her and was so much stronger than she had felt she was since arriving in Santa Carla. And then there was Sable, who Domini just wanted to hold so she could know that they were both going to be alright. Everything else would fall into place.

"I'll tell you what," Max smiled. "How about you take a deep breath and we go out there together and wrap things up. We can grab a bite on the Boardwalk and I'll be your sounding board to bounce off whatever you need to talk about." He nodded, knowing she would agree. "You look like you could use a friend right now instead of a boss."

"I'd like that, Max. But this is your store," she shook her head. "I can't have you losing business because I can't keep my head on straight."

Max laughed. "Well that's one of the perks of being in charge. I can change the rules anytime I want," he grinned.

"You're the boss," she nodded.

"That's my girl," Max smiled.

A loud crash sounded from the front and Domini watched as Max held up a finger, warning her to stay put. She crept to the door, seeing him confront an angry teen who was yelling at his girlfriend over her 'pathetic chick-flick' choice. Max intervened immediately, telling him he had to leave and Domini watched as he stood fearlessly between the couple, protecting the nervous girl.

Her boyfriend spouted off, "Mind your own business, old man."

"This is my business," Max said simply, holding his arms out to show off his store.

Domini could not see Max's face since his back was to her, but whatever look he gave the teen sent him running for the door, his girlfriend following closely on his heels. She felt a sense of pride for how Max handled things. He was firm but such a gentleman. He had class and Domini appreciated that about him. She was looking forward to getting to know him better and strengthening the bond that seemed to have been born from the moment they had met.

When David got back to the cave, he was ready to tear into Marko. He tossed the bag of clothes on the couch and stood in the center of the lobby. David closed his furious eyes and growled.

_If you make me come find you I can't say I'll hold back._

Marko appeared in the stairwell, dragging Sable by her hair behind him. He threw her down onto the floor at David's feet where she cringed in pain.

"I'm not in the mood, Marko," he snarled, ignoring the peace offering. "What were you thinking? What if Domini had flipped the fuck out and decided to stay with her? How could you not know you were so drained you couldn't keep this pliable little bitch in line?"

He nodded, biting at his lip and answering all of his questions at once. "I don't know. It was a mistake. One that I won't make again," he promised.

"How can you be so sure?" David growled, unconvinced.

Marko grinned. "Because I've come up with a new way to handle her."

David frowned. "And what's that?"

"It takes a helluva lot less energy to just erase her memory than it does to push it," he smiled.

Looking down, David took the time to really see Sable and the terror in her eyes. He crouched down, his intrigued smirk level with her fearful face. "Well hello, sunshine. It's been a little while since I saw you actually looking back at me." David reached out, holding her cheek and remembering the feel of her lips around him. He knew he had strained her and it made him grin as he cupped her aching jaw, feeling her pain radiate. "You remember right here though, don't you."

Sable pulled away from him, crawling backward across the floor. She had never seen a look like that in anyone's eyes and it chilled her to the core. Sable did not know what he was talking about or why Marko had dragged her down the stairs. Nothing made any sense and she begged for answers, trying to fill in the blanks with something rational she could center herself with.

"You drugged the liquor, didn't you?" she spat.

Marko waited for her to hedge her way back right into his boots and he laughed as Sable scrambled to the side, trapped between them. "Now that just doesn't make a lick of sense, does it?" he grinned. "We drank it too, honey. You wanna' try again?"

"No!" Sable shouted. It was hard to sound forceful when she was on the ground looking up at them but she did not dare get on her feet. "Tell me what's going on _right_ now!"

David snickered and cocked his head, eyeing Marko. "Was that an order?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, couldn't have been. She's not stupid." He bent down to her. "You're not stupid, _are_ you, Sable?"

"Quit fucking with me and tell me what's happening!" Sable screamed at him.

David's dark laughter filled the cave, echoing off the walls. "Nope, she's not dumb at all. Just confused." He moved to the other side of her, hunkering down over his heels. "See, fucking with you is what Marko did all night long – which is why you're here now, with your senses temporarily intact."

Marko grinned, hearing the boys arrive and they did not smell alone. "Perfect timing. Ya' know," he turned to David with a casual tone, "I've stripped her of so many visuals from last night, I think we should give her one of her own."

"What an appetizing idea," David smirked.

Sable did not know which one of them to look at or who she should be more afraid of. Everything was wrong and she had never felt more scared or alone.

"Where's Domini?" she begged, even more afraid of what the answer might be.

Grabbing Sable and hoisting her up under David's arm like a package, he laughed as he carried her to his chair. "Domini, is being the good girl she is and earning an honest living." He brought her down on his lap, holding her steady with an effortless arm while the other drew the cigarette from behind his ear. "Bad girls like you, get to have all the fun here, with us," he grinned.

Sable struggled against his unnatural strength and she could not understand how he was doing it. She was immobilized by David's arm but she would waste every last ounce of energy she had left to try and get away. She would never give in. Sable had to get away, find Domini, and she did not care if she never got the answers so long as she got away.

Pushing two girls through the cave's entrance, Dwayne and Paul laughed and hollered louder than the screaming girls.

"Bitches were all about takin' a ride until they saw the destination," Paul laughed, grabbing one girl and dancing her across the cave floor.

Dwayne nodded, waltzing the trembling brunette in circles. "We need a better way of strapping 'em down like deer."

"A sidecar!" Paul smiled, covering his partner's mouth and dancing past them.

"With a sack," Dwayne nodded.

Paul was full of fun ideas. "Like a fucked up Santa!"

Twisting the girl's hands behind her, Dwayne removed his belt, wrapping it around her wrists. "Sorry sweetheart," he smiled. "I enjoy your screams but those nails can cut a brother," Dwayne shrugged.

"Mine are longer," Paul snickered, his face changing in the firelight as his unwilling dance partner started to scream but passed out in his arms. "Dammit," he frowned. "Mine's broken. Gimmie some of yours," he nodded.

Sable felt like she must still be in the throes of a nightmare. This could not be who they were. What she saw was not possible. They had kidnapped those girls and Sable was a hostage to David's lap. Marko looked too informal for what was happening around them and David's smirking lips were dusting over her neck like all of it was perfectly normal. Then, there was Paul's face; the bones looking almost reshaped and protruding. It had to be a trick of the firelight but Sable was not sure of anything anymore.

A twisted face moved in front of Sable's horrified eyes and it took her a split second to even realize it was Marko. His features were impossibly sculpted, morphing him into a monster of epic proportion. His brow jutted out with a defined bridge that had never been born to any human on earth. Solid swells projected at obtrusive length beneath his sunken and gilded amber eyes. Gone was that beautiful blue, replaced with a deviant glow. His once sweet smile was garnished by razor-sharp fangs of impossible extension and they swallowed her scream with a growling laugh.

David held her tightly with his arm across Sable as she pushed back against him, desperate to escape Marko's reach. He nodded to his brother with new arousal for the offering.

In two quick steps Marko had Sable's shorts undone and sliding down her kicking legs. Her resistance was refreshing and he was elated by her new-found promise. Sable was even more fun as she tried to fight back and Marko wished he had come up with his plan sooner. She was a multi-purpose player in his game though and he enjoyed her every which way he was having her. His nail drew down the center of her panties, cutting an opening of forced invitation.

Marko stood back with a grin, admiring his work as Sable struggled and screamed over David's lap. "You got her?" he laughed.

Slipping his middle finger inside her and curling it up until he felt the bridge of bone, David cupped his hand around her. He smirked, "I could bowl her across the floor into those chairs in a perfect strike."

Sable squirmed around the power of his hand that left her helpless in the fight. "Nooo!" she shrieked.

"Oh don't worry, sugar," David cooed to her ear, giving her trembling lobe a nibble. "I wasn't really going to let you go."

Dwayne and Paul brought the girls to what had become center stage and threw them down to the cave floor. Paul dragged his teeth over the unconscious girl until she woke from the pain.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," he grinned.

The girl held onto her bound friend as they cried, encircled by the three fiends as they moved around them.

"You're monsters!" Sable screamed.

Marko laughed, looking up at her and catching her sweet scent in the air as David brought it to the surface. "That's not what you said last night," he licked his lips.

Sable felt sick but she was too scared and empty. She wanted to wake up and she begged her subconscious mind to take it all away. She missed the fog of her hazy mind.

"Wake up, wake up," she cried.

A flick of his thumb rubbed over her clit as David covered her ear with his grinning mouth. "You're wide awake for the very first time in your life, Sable."

She sobbed harder, her tears falling down over David's forceful hand as he invaded her. "Please," she begged, shutting her eyes tight. "I'll do anything you want," Sable cried.

"Tell me somethin' I _don't_ know," David smirked.

While the girls on the floor clung to one another, the boys alternated, taking preemptive bites and filling the cave with the scent of their blood. Sable could not bear to watch what was going to happen to them. She could not stomach the images she had already seen.

David's left hand held his cigarette as he held Sable's head back to his shoulder, careful not to burn her hair. It was not a smell he cared for and there was such a sweetness on the breeze from the brothers circling the girls. David tucked his chin over Sable's shoulder, captivated by his view as his finger pushed through her warmth. She was too scared to be wet but he knew that in time her own body would betray her, as helplessly as her mind was to shut out what was going to happen, with or without consent.

"Open your eyes, Sable," he grinned, grazing his lips along her jaw. She kept them shut tight but it only made him snicker as he gripped his fingers into the hollow beneath her cheeks and squeezed. "Open those pretty eyes or I'll have Marko take the lids," he warned her with that graveled voice.

Sable's eyes flew open, unwilling to test if that was even possible. Her grip on what reality should be was out of bounds already. Sable could not look at those girls with the blood running down their arms and legs. She did not want to see the hungry smiles of those things that surrounded them and she had once thought to be beautiful. Sable wished she could shut it all out and it was the first time in her life that she had wished she could be Domini and have a place inside to go to hide.

"Domini," she cried softly.

David grinned. "I had her last night and I'll have her again when we're done. But right now, this is just for you," he said, licking his tongue up the nape of her strained neck. "You had a taste of her too. Do you remember licking her off me, Sable?" He slipped a second finger inside her, drawing her essence from deep within and sliding it over her. "No, I know you don't, sugar. But _I_ remember," David moaned.

Sable did not want to hear him. She wanted to shut out his voice, his hand, and every image that burned into her eyes. Her senses were being assaulted in every possible way and there would be no escape, Sable knew that. She was not going to make it out of that cave alive and she was trapped in the realization of seeing death coming before it struck.

Dwayne pushed at Marko's shoulder with a laugh, edging him away from the girls. "You already had yours."

He grinned. "And now I want what's yours."

"They were ours the first time around," Paul chuckled. "Go get your own."

Sable winced at the insanity of it all. How could they be so cruel and callous?

"Boys, boys," David smiled, sensing her tighten around him in growing fear. "There's plenty to go 'round. Play fair."

Dwayne nodded, letting him back into the triangle they had made around the girls. "Breast or thigh, buddy?" he offered with a laugh.

"Please, after you," Marko tipped his chin respectfully.

His lips to Sable's ear, David smiled. "See? They can be gentlemen. And so can I – if you let me." He withdrew his fingers from inside her, watching her thighs clamp shut. David laughed, drawing his fingers across her shoulder and tasting her there. He grinned with approval. Driving his hand between her thighs and prying them apart with only his fingers, he was tucked inside her before she could blink. David fought his way through Sable's resistance with a growl. "Or we can do it the hard way, which I'm afraid won't be at all pleasant for you."

Sable could feel her thighs unclench from their grip around David's wrist before she knew her brain had even sent the signal. She was losing the fight and a part of her had already given up, releasing herself for a less painful death than it would be if she kept trying. A strange calm settled over Sable with a euphoric resolve to die and no longer fight for that world which was giving her away.

"_Goooood_ girl," David drew out with a grin, sliding his fingers back and forth from her defeated body with ease.

The devastated girls on the floor were in a heightened state of awareness. They trembled and cried as those unnatural faces moved in, blocking out the firelight behind them – as their world – went dark.

David watched their fangs sink through flesh and he listened intently between Sable's sharp breaths and the sound of blood pumping over insatiable tongues. He wanted to make sure that Sable was watching and he was pleased to find her eyes wide with horror. The scents and sounds turned David on more and his hand worked faster, listening to the blood in her body directed toward her unwilling stimulation.

"This is what it will feel like, Sable," he moaned to her ear. "It's the ultimate rush of swimming through arousal and barreling over the brink of ecstasy." David's fingers rubbed harder, wanting her right there with the boys when they finished. "It will be beyond any fuck you've ever had," he promised, feeling Sable getting closer despite her tears. "You'll live for that hunger. You _will_ die for it. And then, you will exist _only_ for that hunger and to satiate its need." David placed his lips over her ear to make sure she could hear him over her panting cries. "One night soon, Sable...that'll be _you_," he grinned.

Sable's wide eyes stared at Marko's blood spattered smile as he leaned up to see her. He pointed to her, holding that damning finger in the air, its direction singling her out as his dark laugh made its way toward her.

"**NOOO**!" Sable cried out, watching the last ounce of life drain from the girls who had finally escaped. Sable felt her body convulse around David's hand, her mind fracture and her hope dissipate from the dream of death into the revelation of what she would become. It was a far worse fate than the nightmare she thought would soon end.

David pushed Sable down to the ground, licking his fingers and returning to the last draw off his cigarette. The whole event had taken place over the course of less than ten minutes and they had been well spent.

"Go on, girl," David grinned. "I got what _I_ came for. And you came for what we've got," he laughed. He looked down over Sable's crumpled body as she curled into a fetal position. He lowered himself down to her, tossing his cigarette into the flames.

David gripped his thumb and finger into her cheeks, pulling her to an upright position. He glared with a grin and only a single word on those cruel curled lips. "**Run**."

Sable's feet hit the sand before she knew she was even running. She tore down the beach and into the night as even the moon hid with fear behind the clouds, abandoning her in darkness.

Marko wiped his mouth and turned to David. "How far you want me to let her get?"

He smiled and sat back down. "Just a little farther. Let's give her a sliver of hope before we dig it out of her again."

"Alright." He nodded with a smile and crossed his arms. "How about now?"

David grinned. "Now's good."

Marko flew out into the night, the wind crisp against his cheeks. His eyes trained on Sable as soon as he got to the shore. She was fast. He was faster.

Her feet were digging through the sand, the ocean crashing on her right while darkness consumed everything to her left. Sable was fully aware that there was nowhere to go but she kept running, even as the sound of flapping in the wind gained on her heels.

She felt a hard yank jolt her body into the air as she screamed and thrashed with nothing beneath her. Marko's laugh filled her ears as he pulled her higher through the air, the earth slipping farther away.

Marko raced through the wind over the turbulent ocean waves, out past the break where the darkness undulated beneath them. "I think you need to cool down, honey," he laughed, dropping her into the depths below with a splash that swallowed her scream.

Gasping for air, Sable tumbled under the water; desperately trying to navigate which way was up in the complete darkness. Her lungs were collapsing from the lack of air she had gone into the water without.

Her lips broke the surface and Sable sucked in the air as hard as she could, choking out the salty water that burned her eyes. Her arms flailed, trying to tread water and stay afloat. She turned in circles, trying to find Marko in the air above her, but found only black sky.

A sharp yank of her hair had Sable being ripped from the water, her whole body hanging from the pull of her head. Marko held her over the water, waves licking her toes as she kicked.

"Do you want me to put you back?" Marko laughed. "Cause I will if you just say the word."

"Please, Marko!" Sable was screaming for her life and she hated to use his name. The thing holding her life in its hands was not a man who had a name. "Please!" she begged.

"What do you want, Sable?" he grinned. "_Say it_!"

She could feel the strands of hair ripping from her scalp as the weight of her body pulled downward. What did he want to hear? Of course she wanted to live! Sable realized suddenly that the question he was asking was not if she wanted to live. Marko was asking how she wanted to die; by her hand, or his.

Sable wanted to sink into the darkness of ocean beneath her and end all of the pain. Domini had told her that death was like falling asleep and there was no hope of Sable waking up from any of what was happening. She just could not bring herself to accept death as she faced it. Her father was not up in Heaven waiting for her. There as no Heaven to go to. Domini had told her there was nothing out there at all and it had destroyed Sable. She wanted to live, even when it was not an option.

"Take me back!" she heard herself scream.

Marko swept her up into his arms, watching her head fall back from the exhaustion of pain. "Take you back for what, Sable?" he smiled.

Still catching her breath, Sable cried so hard that she fell against Marko's chest. In that moment she did not care what kind of monster he was. Sable needed someone to be there so she was not alone. "For whatever you want," she sobbed. "Just take me back."

He grinned, surfing her through the wind and falling over her on the beach. Marko watched Sable's fingers dig into the wet sand just to have something natural to hold onto. It did not bother him. Once Sable was turned, she would understand and appreciate what they were offering her.

Marko kept her covered with his body, staring down into her devastated eyes.

_Forget everything you saw tonight. It never happened. You woke up tonight with only the memory of making love to me all night long. You liked it hard and rough and your bruises are badges,_ he grinned.

_You remember arguing with Domini but that was just your exhaustion talking. You'll apologize and you'll mean it. And you'll work on Domini, keeping her happy and feeling safe. Because it's safe here with us, Sable. _

_You and David had a good talk about how much you both care about Domini and you're going to be their biggest supporter, no matter __**what**__ happens._ Marko would have David fill in the details he wanted before Domini got home.

He grinned, smoothing her wet hair away from her vacant eyes. _You don't feel any pain anymore. We made love on the beach and then I sat here watching you take a dip. Your shorts got washed away and you're gonna' think it's so damn sweet when I wrap my jacket around your waist and zip it up like a skirt to cover you when we go back in. Cause that's the kind of guy I am, Sable. It was the best night you've had in a long, long time. And you're looking forward to many more._

He broke their stare and watched Sable come back to those eyes that smiled up at him. "I'm fallin' for you way too fast," he grinned, licking the lie off his lips.

"I'm right here with you," Sable smiled, drawing him down to her kiss.

**_My poor character has suffered through so much and yet there is still so much more I have to put the girl through before I can reveal what is in store for her. It's not easy to torture a character but it is very much necessary to her story in order to play out what's to come. I hope you'll bear with me. The next few chapters are going to change absolutely everything...for everyone involved._**

**_Cheers, Harley_**


	9. Chapter 9

**~ Chapter 9 ~**

**Thank you all for your reviews, favorites and private messages! You fascinate me with your questions and it's been so fun to get to know some of you! Max gets his real page time here and the balance is going to shift over the next two chapters. I hope you enjoy and let me know! Cheers, Harley**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The Boardwalk looked different from high atop the Ferris Wheel as it slowed to a stop. The world looked so small down below but the lights were still bright and beautiful. She had poured out so much to Max over the previous hour and opened up to him about large chunks of her past. She had found a great weight lifted off her shoulders. It was only once Domini felt the breeze across her cheeks that she realized how much she was smiling.

Max watched her taking the world in and he wished he could tell her then that it could all be hers. He was still warmed by the ride operator's comment about how sweet it was to see a father and his teenaged daughter riding together. It pleased him even more that she had not corrected him. Domini had simply smiled and taken a seat beside Max, accepting it for what she wanted it to be; truth. David could never give her that. He was still young compared to the centuries Max had seen. David was impulsive and always would be. He bored too easily and he would tire of Domini. Although Max's boys tried his patience, that was a part of the trials and tribulations that family survived when all else died away. She would be a beautiful balance to their wild nature.

"It's all about perspective, Domini," he smiled. "Sometimes the things we see every single day become so commonplace that they become mundane." Max waited for her to look to him, craving his wisdom and guidance. Once he had her full attention again, he knew he could give her everything she wanted. "A different point of view can create a whole new world. You just have to take a step back and let it all in," he grinned.

She believed every word Max was saying. Domini had needed that. She felt too close to all of the things she was trying so hard to understand, like looking at a painting that was nothing but pixels until you stood far enough away to see the whole picture.

Looking toward the ocean, Domini still found her mind drifting to David. She tried to find the cave, far away by the bluff but, like that painting, she could only see the outline of it when the lighthouse sought it out through the darkness.

Max followed her eyes and frowned. He knew their time was almost up and the past hour had gone too quickly. He was losing her again and there would be no time for bonding once she was back at work the next night. She had opened herself up to him so willingly and he was more sure than ever that it was what Domini had needed.

As the Ferris Wheel began to turn again, bringing them back down to the earth, Max knew he had only one last chance to carve a lasting impression on Domini. The cogs of his brain began to turn like the spokes of that old Ferris Wheel and it did not take Max long to decide how to ground her.

"Domini," he said softly, making her turn to him to hear. "When he hurts you – I hope you know you can count on me to be there," Max whispered.

She smiled, touched by his thoughtfulness. "David's not going to hurt me, Max," she shook her head.

He nodded. "I do hope you're right." Max smiled, showing the pity in his eyes. "But I've been around a long time and I've seen a thing or two. Perspective, dear girl," he said quietly. "If David is as wonderful as you claim him to be – why are you here with me?"

Domini had to laugh. "Because I needed a friend. You were here for me, Max," she smiled. "I appreciate that."

"As do I," he smiled back. "But what I mean is, why haven't you told David about the things you've told me? The things that really matter?" he inquired gently.

She was stunned for an answer that made sense. "I – I don't know." Domini knew that was a lie as Max's eyes told her that he knew it too.

She sighed and allowed herself to be honest. "I haven't always had the best taste when it comes to men," Domini admitted. "But all of that is turning around with David. I know that he's rough around the edges but he's considerate and sweet too."

"When?" he asked, ignoring the sway as the ride slowed to let another couple exit the ride.

"What do you mean?" she laughed.

Max did not laugh. "_When_ - is he _considerate_?"

Domini floundered for an answer and found herself laughing to fill the time. "I mean, I can't give you a _specific_ example."

What could she say? It was in the way he brought her water after they had sex all night? It was little things that felt huge to her like how David helped her onto the back of his bike. It had everything to do with the way he looked at her when that wall came down and he let her see him without the bravado. Those were not tangible things but they were moments. Still, they were fleeting and Domini knew that.

"Why _not_?" he asked with light pressure. She shrugged and it almost made Max cringe. He tried to laugh to cover his disappointment. "I will never understand the apathy for which your generation answers hard questions."

Domini laughed at everything about Max just then that dated him, from his tone to his bewilderment for a lost generation.

Max smiled, "I don't care how old I sound, I meant every word." He inched her closer to the edge of his plan, and waited for Domini to jump. "Why don't you ask David the hard questions? Why don't you tell him your hard truths?" He could see the clinch in her eyes as she understood. "In one hour you've opened yourself up to me and told me many difficult things from your past. In two days, what have you learned about David?" he asked softly.

She swallowed hard, letting his words sink in until his thoughts became her own. Domini adored David and he was exciting beyond her wildest imagination. A large part of her was still reeling from wondering what he saw in her when he could have anyone he wanted. Domini had loved every minute with David the night before and he had taken her to a place deep inside herself that she had forgotten was even there. Domini had so many secret spots hidden away but it had been a long time since she had allowed someone else there. Still, Domini could not help but want to connect with him on a deeper level.

Domini and Max had spent just a short time walking around and talking. She had done most of the talking but it had felt so good to have someone listen to her. She could hardly talk to David about her fears. Everything between them was fresh and new and exhilarating. She did not want to bring the drama of her past or the fears of her present instability in life into what was still just coming together. With Max, she could say anything and he did not judge her for it. Domini was not certain that David would react the same way.

"David's so smooth and confident," she grinned, drawn to that side of him; the one that seemed rock solid and unshakable. She craved it like air.

Her lips drew down as she watched him, expecting her to be more honest than that. Domini took a deep breath. "I guess I'm afraid - he would laugh at me," she said softly. Domini could see where he was going even before Max spoke.

"That does not sound sweet or considerate to me," he frowned. "Get to know him, Domini," he advised her with warning eyes. "Let him know _you_." Max had to keep his smile hidden, seeing the glimpse far ahead of Domini that would have her aching for a deeper connection that David would never be able to lie his way through. "I think you deserve that, Domini," he nodded.

The Ferris Wheel came to a final stop as they were escorted down and the gravity of everything that Max had said became solid ground beneath Domini's feet. "Thank you, Max," she smiled, feeling a stronger purpose than she had started out the night with.

"Anytime," Max grinned, holding open the gate for her as they exited the ride and the clock tower's hand passed to the later side of midnight.

The lights began to turn off along the Boardwalk for the night as they approached the front of the store. David was leaning against his bike in the shadows by the empty storefront, waiting. He flicked his cigarette away, making slow strides toward them.

"Hey," she smiled at him.

David could not muster a smile back, even for pretense. "Where you been?" he asked with a raised brow of expectation.

Grinning, Max answered with a casual air. "We took the night off." He smiled at Domini. "To talk."

She smiled back, giving Max a hug that seemed to surprise all three of them. "Thank you," she nodded, switching sides as David held out his hand to her. He pulled her close, kissing her long and hard until she felt almost uncomfortable by the public display of affection.

David opened one eye, watching Max's disgust. The corner of his lip curled up, leaving Domini hanging as he pulled back and took her breath away.

"Goodnight, Max," she smiled and waved.

He nodded. "We'll talk more tomorrow night."

"Sure." Domini felt so much stronger after talking with Max and she knew that he was right. She was excited to learn more about David and to bridge a deeper connection with him.

David watched him walk away, Max's grin resuming its place as if he was silently scoring a chalk mark on his side. "What did I miss?" he frowned.

She laughed, watching him with new eyes. "Are you jealous?" Domini marveled.

"Jealous?" he scoffed, turning his huff into a low snicker. "Of _him_?" It was too absurd. "I think we need to get you something to eat. Clearly your brain is starved for rational thought," he chuckled.

Domini shook her head, shrugging off his sarcasm. "Oh no, I'm good. Max bought me a slice on the Boardwalk."

David's smile slipped away. "Yeah?" He knew what she needed as he pulled her close, kissing her neck and whispering at her ear. "Good. You're gonna' need your strength tonight," he grinned.

"Actually," she said with a keen smile. "I was thinking we could go somewhere, just the two of us, and talk."

David's face crumpled like a man about to be mugged. "_What_?" he asked with a fearful frown. "I mean, talk about what?" he tried to cover.

She smiled, holding the lapels of his coat and pulling him into a soft kiss. "I don't know," she shrugged, still smiling. "Anything...everything."

David had not thrown up in over a hundred years but he thought his body might somehow find a way just then. He swallowed hard, wishing the bitter taste in his mouth would disappear. "Sure, sugar," he smiled, pulling her closer and dropping the façade as soon as his frown could tuck over her shoulder. "Whatever you want."

He could see Max turn around in the distance behind her, grinning from ear to ear as he listened. David tried his hardest not to growl as Max tipped his hand to his head in a salute and bid goodnight.

David would make sure Max paid for that. He would suffer dearly for causing what was sure to be the longest night of David's immortal life.

The motorcycle cooled in the distance by the broken chain fence of the junkyard on the bluff, high over the hotel's original parking lot. The old automobile graveyard was a dumping ground for rusted metal and David had taken many a girl's virginity, and life, in the backseat of nearly every wreckage in the lot. It seemed an appropriate homage to the death of David's masculinity as he suffered each stage of grief over having to talk, listen and indulge Domini's need to connect. He longed for the girl whose mind and body were so easily twisted, and David began to wonder if Marko had gotten the better end of the deal.

David watched her curl in the corner of the backseat, Domini's knees up between them like a barricade as he sat across from her. She was talking about how she and Sable had made their way to Santa Carla, something about hitchhiking and the 'wrong kind of ride'. All David could think about was the Southwestern '55 Chevy Bel Air Convertible they were sitting in and how he had once ruled the world behind its' wheel back in the day. The red leather interior had once been a velvet glow against the black gloss finish and that old engine had purred as he raised hell, prowling the open streets. Girls back then knew how to keep their mouth shut and humor a guy's ego. Of course they had been harder to get into a backseat and had far more layers to take off than the girls of the present time. David supposed there had been some small improvements.

Domini smiled at him and it took David a moment to realize she had asked him a question, although he had no idea what it had been. "Sorry, what?" he grinned. "I got a little lost just listening to you. You could probably read the phone book and I'd hang on every word." Yes, David was going to be sick and he was now doing it to himself. He lit a cigarette, wishing it could kill him.

She laughed. "I'm sitting here going on and on. I want to know about you, David."

He blew a stream of smoke up toward the stars, wondering if the old trunk still opened and how small she would look inside it. "You can ask me anything, sugar," he grinned. A small part of David was curious to see what she wanted to know and how quickly he could come up with a creative back story. So long as there was a challenge, David could still find some interest.

Domini did not know where to begin. He had been listening to her drabble on and, although she was not divulging any deep information, she felt they were making progress. David was a good listener and she felt guilty for ever doubting that he would be any different.

"Well," she smiled, "tell me about where you grew up."

He shrugged, looking out over the Boardwalk. The shop lights had all gone out but the security lights over the rides remained lit, casting eerie glows over the abandoned world. "I grew up in a simple little town; picket fences, dogs barking at mailmen. I went to an average school where I was a less than average student. It was a nothing special kind of childhood." David had read a million stories and heard a billion more over the century and it was easy to take pieces and reinvent them to appease Domini. "Mom stayed at home and my old man worked in an office he could walk to." David shrugged. "Just your ordinary kind of youth."

Domini watched David closely and years of liars fortifying her ability to call a bluff when she saw one suddenly kicked in. Perhaps it was Max's encouragement for her to look more closely at the man she was falling for. Maybe it was just her street smarts returning with her born again courage.

"_Lie_," she grinned, a sparkle in her eye for knocking David off that high ground he always held court over. She had finally gained the upper hand.

"_What_?" David grimaced.

Domini shrugged, sitting back with a smile. "Lie," she said simply. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. Really, it is." She meant that. "But I'd rather you tell me it's none of my business than lie to me, David."

He had to turn away from her then, to protect her from the hand that wanted to fly across her face and smack the confidence off it. There would be no coming back from an act of that proportion. David would have to take it out on Sable later, just to pretend it was Domini so he could get it out. It would fester inside him until then. No one had called David out on a lie since...Max.

His nose wrinkled and his mouth twisted to the side. David had no intention of revealing his past to Domini and opening old wounds that even as an immortal could not be healed. He loathed his early mortal memories and, as far as David was concerned, they had died when he had. But if Domini wanted truth, he would give her a glimpse she could not turn away from.

"Alright," he nodded. "You've been honest with me. And I've never lied to you so I won't start now." Why were _those_ lies so easy to tell and so difficult for Domini to detect? David could only assume she had seen through his deceit because he had been too cocky and not put forth the effort of deceiving her. He had miscalculated Domini's intuitiveness, for a moment, but she had underestimated him all along.

"Earn it," David smirked.

She laughed, "What the hell are you talking about?"

He nodded and licked his lips. "You heard me. You need to earn it. I told you I wasn't easy to crack and I'm not about to tell you all my dark secrets with nothing in return." He took a long drag and blew the smoke over Domini's head into the night sky above her. "You want me to bear my soul, I want you bare-assed over me while I do it," he grinned.

Domini could feel the control slipping away from her and right back into David. "No," she smiled. "Tell me about how you grew up, and maybe I'll reward you," Domini teased.

He shook his head slowly. "My story, _my_ rules."

"Compromise," Domini conceded. "For every personal revelation you give me, I'll reveal a piece for you," she grinned, lifting the hem of the black shirt he had given her and showing off her toned stomach. This was not at all what Max had had in mind and she understood that completely. But David was so tempting when he got his grin on and she was willing to play so long as it brought them one step closer. "Deal?" she smiled.

He could smell his scent all over her, from his shirt and the night before. If Domini wanted to play, David was game. "Deal," he grinned darkly, beckoning her over with the curl of his finger.

Domini held her ground in the corner of the backseat of the old car. She stretched her arms up toward the sky and settled them back down over the torn red leather, getting comfortable as she smiled.

"Fine," he grinned. If it was truth that turned her on, David would oblige. He could not be responsible for how she would look at him when he was done. Of course by then, he planned to be buried inside her to the hilt with her eyes shut tight as she rode him in the backseat.

Where could he begin though? David could not tell her the whole truth no matter how hot she got him. He supposed he could give her a kernel of truth though, change the dates and leave out the worst he had done. It excited David to tease her with parts of his past that he could use to lure her closer. Talking was finally a game that David could win.

He looked out over that old Boardwalk, remembering when it was a flat straight leading up to the bluff with nothing on it but dust that turned to sand by the ocean. If David closed his eyes he was sure he could still see it for the empty lot it had once been when he arrived.

"The truth is, Domini," he sighed, "I didn't grow up anywhere. I mean, not anywhere in particular. My old man worked at a factory and I really didn't see him much."

"What about your mom?"

He shook his head. "Never saw _her_ at _all_. _My_ bedtime story was that she split as soon as the cord cut her loose."

She frowned, wondering what something like that did to a boy. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

He shrugged, lighting another cigarette. "I'm not. I was left to my own devices," he grinned. "And I'm sure you can imagine that I had my fair share of misspent youth."

"Yes," she laughed. "I can imagine."

David thought he would skip over the parts about his father's belt and how he learned to both give and take a punch. Bringing up memories from Domini's past would hardly get her in the mood. The abridged version was much more interesting anyway.

"Since there really wasn't anything to go home to, one night when I was fourteen, I decided to take off and find my own way." David smiled. "Yes, we have a few things in common, darlin'."

Domini laughed, excited to hear anything at all about him. She wanted to know everything. "I wasn't so young though. And I was never alone. I had Sable. It must've been hard for you."

He shook his head. "I wasn't alone either. I hitched a ride with a carnival and rode straight outta town with them. They took me in, gave me a job, made me family," he smiled.

"A carnival?" she practically giggled. Domini could not picture David, at any age, working at a traveling carnival. "What did you _do_ there?"

He grinned. "Odd jobs at first; cleaning up after animals, rigging tents, learning the ropes and earning my keep." David had traveled the freak show circuit relentlessly. There had only been less than fifty carnivals of its kind at the time but those details would lead too close to dangerous questions. David had to keep it simple.

"It was real old school, ya' know? The Barker drawing the crowds, free admission to see the animals and play a few games. Sword-swallowers and fire breathers to keep 'em amused," he laughed. They were some of the best times of David's mortal life.

Everything in David's eyes was truthful and Domini believed him, despite how bizarre it was. She imagined he had always been lost and he suddenly made more sense to her; the way he lived, the family he had made. She was fascinated by him, even more than before.

"Now, you know a little bit of Latin, yeah?" he grinned as she nodded. "Do you know where the word 'carnival' comes from?" He paused for her silence and continued with a smirk. "Originally the phrase was carne vale, which means farewell to meat. It was coined to celebrate the giving up of meat before Lent. And afterward, people would observe a time of chaos and indulgence, making up for lost time." David nodded toward her shirt with a grin.

"A history lesson hardly counts as a revelation, David," she laughed.

He reached over, tugging at the bottom of her shirt with that smile he knew she could not resist. "Trust me, I'm forthcoming," he grinned. "Chaos and indulgence, Domini," he tempted her.

She could not help but smile when he got like that. "Fine. It's just a shirt," Domini shrugged with a smile as she pulled it over her head and draped it across the seat.

It was a simple gesture but one in the right direction as far as David was concerned. He admired her soft skin in the full moon's glow, glad he had fed before picking her up. "Where was I?" he teased.

She cocked her head with a disapproving smile. "Carne vale."

"Right, right," he nodded, taking a drag and enjoying the pause while he watched her breasts heave softly. "Over time, the phrase evolved and meat was substituted for flesh," David smirked, taking a drag and remembering so clearly the story as it was once told to him by the Show-runner. "Farewell to flesh, the sloughing off of one's old self to make way for a new self. It was absolute transformation of the most raw and primal urge to change and cut loose," he exhaled, smoke billowing into the air. "People got off on it, running around in masks, doing silly tricks for one another just to get a laugh and cause a raucous. They dressed up, stripped down, drank deep and indulged in every sin they had repented for in the weeks leading up to it," he grinned. "And they called it - _Carnivale_."

Domini realized she was leaning in toward David, hanging on every word that dripped off those curled lips. She sat back again, straightening up and watching David's cool blue eyes trace over her flesh. It gave her a shiver, and a smile.

"Oh Domini," he grinned. "It was the epitome of everything that phrase entailed. Carnivals are non-stop caravan parties. It's a lot of work but the rewards come in spades. The days were slow, hard and hot, but the nights were more exciting than your wildest dreams," David laughed. "I was growing up faster than I could think. There are no real morals in an environment like that. And for a fourteen year old boy, well," he smirked, "it was the biggest playground in the world. But there was only one tent I wanted to play in and I camped out there every free moment I got. The Vanity Tent," he grinned.

She smiled, drawn in by that promising grin of his and moved across the backseat to straddle David's lap. Her knees dug into the leather crease behind his hips. "I can just picture you in one of those mirror mazes," Domini smiled, imagining a young David staring at himself and trying to figure out who he was and would someday be.

He laughed, shaking his head and tugging the strap of her bra loose from one shoulder. David slid it down to hang at the side of her arm as he replaced it with a soft, wet kiss. "It wasn't like a Boardwalk Vanity House," David mused with a smirk. "It was a peep tent."

"Oh." Domini's mind flooded with images of a seedier carnival. It was no place for a kid of fourteen but it explained a lot. David seemed such an old soul and a place like that would most certainly make a kid grow up fast, just as he had said. Domini understood a little better then, even though she found it hard to believe that carnivals still had those kinds of shows anymore.

David lit a fresh cigarette from the first and tossed the burned one over the side of the convertible. He resumed his kiss on her other shoulder as he drew down the strap of her bra. "I'm talkin' scantily-clad women with full curves and the kind of hips you could hold onto," he smirked, grabbing hold of her gait and pulling her deeper into his lap. "They didn't mind a harmless kid hanging around. I was a gopher," David laughed, "running around to fetch their costumes and props. I didn't care, though. It meant I could watch them get ready. There was ceremony in their primping and I got to hear all of the inner workings of the female mind in its most rawest form." He rubbed his hands over Domini's bared shoulders, watching her heart beat against her supple chest.

"While grown men were handing over their hard-earned family food money and townie boys were peeking under the tent at night, I was front and center for the real greatest show on earth," David laughed. "It was a priceless education and it served me well." He slipped his hands down her body to her hips, rocking her slowly over his lap. "Those ladies were bold and beautiful, completely unafraid and they felt no shame in earning their living. They knew where their talents lied and they used them to their advantage."

Domini could feel him getting hard against her. She kept her eyes on that grin and waited for David to tell her more.

"For two years they saw me as a boy they could tease, a background in their world. But when my sixteenth birthday came, they saw me as a boy they could teach to be a man," he smirked. "They called me into their tent that very night."

Domini waited for him to continue while he took the longest drag off his cigarette. She began to chew her nails, knowing by the look on David's excited face that his story was about to take a climactic turn. She swallowed hard, growing impatient. "_And_?" she flustered, grabbing his cigarette and taking a drag, filling her lungs with relief from the anticipation.

"The _fuck're_ you doin' girl?" David laughed.

"**Waiting**!" she yelled. "I'm sorry," Domini frowned, realizing that shouting at him was not something he needed while being so open and honest with her. "I'm sorry," she breathed, grateful, if only to see that she had made him smile for a brief moment. "I just...what happened when you got there?" She felt a need to protect David, despite the fact that whatever happened was done long ago. Domini passed him back his cigarette and waited patiently.

He smiled gently, just enough to make Domini look at him with those soulful eyes. "When I got there, they told me they had a present for me. And I couldn't wait to open her," David's graveled voice cooed. "She was in her early twenties and, even though we had picked her up six months before, I swear it was the first time she _really_ saw me. I had been watching _her_ the whole time of course and they all knew that."

Domini realized David's first time was with an advanced woman. It was no wonder he had made friends with the local strippers on the Boardwalk. "She..." Domini trailed off.

"Like a pro," he grinned. "She took a rough around the edges kid and smoothed me out straight. She made a man outta me." David laughed at the memory. "It was a quick lesson and I had a lot to learn. But it wasn't a one-time gift. She took me in under her wing, into her bed and body," David smirked, his lips returning to Domini's neck and shoulders while his hands explored the arch of her back. "She taught me how to please a woman; what she likes, how she wants it."

David's fingers smoothed up the curve of Domini's lower back, unclasping her bra and sliding it down her bared arms. He cupped her breast as he kissed her, rolling her nipple between his fingers with a gentle pinch that made her moan. "She taught me everything I know – so that I could be here with you," David moaned, licking over her nipple and drawing it between his teeth until it was hard and full against his tongue. "I guess you could say over time I graduated to other women, learning the differences between each one of them and embracing them in every way," he smiled.

While Domini was grateful for the many things those women had taught him, she could not help but feel a sense of loss for the boy who had been corrupted by a band of women who should have taken care of him.

"They used you, David," she whispered, trying so hard to talk while his tongue licked over her nipple.

He shrugged with a smirk. "I used _them_, sugar. I might have started out a novice kid with little to show but I was a master by the time I was eighteen. Do _you_ have any complaints?" David grinned.

"God no," she breathed hard, tangling her fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck.

"I didn't think so," David snickered. He smacked her ass and cupped her bottom. "Take these off, sugar. _Now_," he grinned.

Things were not at all going how Domini had imagined. That seemed to be a pattern with David though. Every time she had a plan, he turned it around on her and took over. Domini was glad that one of them was in control as she felt herself spiraling with each new piece of David's past he let her in on.

She slipped off his lap, standing up in the backseat of the old car and let him drag her jean shorts down her legs. She missed the panties that were probably still lying on his bedroom floor, torn and discarded. Domini wished she had another layer left to keep David talking.

David was entertained by her naked body in the moonlight, a natural spotlight over her like the ladies he remembered so well. He sat her down on the seat rim between the front and the back, splaying her legs to the side and propping her bare feet on each door as David breathed in her sweet scent.

The way he looked up her body from underneath that strong brow, drove Domini mad. She was fully exposed before him and he was getting off on it fast. She understood the visual side of David, having watched all those women until finally he could have them. It was where that predatory grin came from, that need of his to conquer what his eyes and mind were already tasting.

David traced his finger down her swelling folds, drawing her essence to his touch. He leaned forward, slipping his tongue inside her as her thighs tightened around his ears, making the world go silent. He rubbed his smirk over her, licking his way inside.

Domini was on fire as she hooked her thighs over his strong shoulders, holding onto the seat with one hand and the back of his neck with the other.

He pushed her legs open wider, guiding her feet back to the rim of the doors on either side of them. He wanted her open and trembling as he pinned her thighs to the top of the seat she balanced on. David lapped at her delectable center, driving his tongue deeper inside her as she moaned.

Domini's eyes cast toward the sky above, stars dotting the black night, shimmering like the moon. It was exhilarating to be outside, bared to the world, the captive audience of one man.

"David, please," she begged, craving his body to fill her and make her feel whole.

He snickered, the curl of his lip dragging over her thigh as David looked up at her. "I thought you wanted to talk."

She had learned a good amount of things about David already, from the family that had abandoned him when he was young to the one that distorted his youth in later years. Domini was ready to be consumed. She wanted to give him a permanent home inside her.

"David, _please_," she repeated with aching need.

He smirked, shaking his head slowly with a firm, "**No**. You opened the floodgates, sugar. And now I'm going to open yours." David grinned, slipping his finger deep inside her and curling it to find that sweet spot he could push like a magic button. "We're still talkin' here, princess."

She moaned louder, covering her mouth and looking around.

"Nobody's gonna' hear ya', darlin'. But _I'm_ still listenin'."

Domini rocked her hips toward David's hand, his knuckles pressing into her as he worked deeper inside her. She bit her lip, moaning for him.

It pleased him to know that Domini did not judge him for his many conquests. Hell, she was practically getting off on it the way he did. David did not push his luck by telling her there had been more than a few girls, in every single town they stopped at. He had an easy escape every few days when he moved on; no strings attached except for the long string of satisfied beauties he left heartbroken across the country. He never thought back on any one of them. David always just looked forward to the next town, the subsequent girl, another night.

He twisted and turned his finger inside her, rolling his knuckles against her folds and nudging her swollen clit. "Do you know what my job there was once I got older?" David grinned.

She could not believe he was still talking. Domini knew he was enjoying himself. He was in complete control, even while opening up like she had asked him to. She could only shake her head as her head began to swim with endorphins.

David was enjoying feeling her squirm around him and watching her cheeks flush with desire. He was toying with her and it was so easy, because he was winning.

"I worked my ass off for a few years into my early twenties, building trust and gaining favors. And one day I went to the Show-runner and I told him that I wanted to be a dagger driver."

She furrowed her brow, looking down at him in the backseat. He drove his fingers in deeper as her question became a moaning statement. "I don't know what that is."

"Sure you do," he smiled. "Throwing knives at a girl in front of a target while the crowd holds their breath." He could see the look of horror in Domini's eyes and it made him laugh. If she only knew. "Nah, it wasn't so dangerous. I was _damn_ good at it," he nodded. "And my partner, she trusted me." David could see both jealousy and curiosity looking down at him, but Domini was still listening and moaning so he kept talking. "We practiced a lot with weighted sticks and she was never in any _real_ harm. She trusted me with her life."

David grew quiet, twisting the story to his advantage like his fingers inside her. "There's an element of danger alright," he smiled. "But I had complete control, just as I do over you right now," David smirked, withdrawing his fingers slowly and sliding them back inside her with a swift push that nearly knocked her over into the front seat.

He chuckled and pulled out of her, grabbing her hips and spinning her around. David pushed her stomach down onto the torn leather bridge, bending her down over it until her head nearly touched the front bench seat. He used his knee to spread her legs until her feet wedged against the floor by the doors.

David slowly unzipped his pants, not even bothering to draw them down as she moaned. He gripped his lengthening cock in his fist, rubbing himself against her wet folds from behind. "I learned all about control in that carnival, sugar; how to measure my time, how to use it to please. I'm a showman, princess," David smirked, wetting his cock against her. "It's an art form of sorts. It's a dance," he moaned, slipping his tip inside her. "And the Show-runner saw something in me that could make him a lot of money. And I drew an expensive crowd," he laughed with a low growl, aching to thrust inside her but denying them both.

He could not tell Domini the rest of the story. He had to stop there, but David's mind looked through his memories as he toyed with her.

She did not need to know, yet, how David had taken his sweet, trusting partner and tormented her night after night, drawing his daggers so close to her body that often times he had drawn blood for the crowd. They had loved him for it too. They were only small nicks but they kept her in line, reminding her that he held her life in his hands, even when she was the only girl who would never let him touch her.

David had taken her by force in the end and he had not cared who heard her screaming that night. They were used to the sounds that came from his trailer at night and no one paid enough attention to how desperate her sounds had become. Once David had had her though, she looked weak and useless to him. He moaned at the memory of driving each one of those daggers through her wasted body after dreaming of it for so long. He had emerged from his trailer, covered in her blood and exhilarated by the cool night air over his sticky skin. It was then that the Show-runner took a real interest in David. Max had smelled him from across the midway and he had been unstoppable as he advanced over David in a starved craze.

David would never forget the feeling of life being sucked out of him just as he could perfectly recall the offer presented to him in his final moment. David had accepted with desperate need for a world he could dominate as the top of the food chain. He had turned only two nights later when he slaughtered the townie girl Max had brought him. It was the most satisfying thing he had ever done.

David reached out in his mind to Max, a nostalgic wave washing over him as he remembered the years they spent sleeping through the day while the caravan traveled them to each new spot, bringing fresh blood and an easy escape from the carnage they left in their wake.

_Do you remember how good we had it, Max?_ David pushed his thoughts to his Sire, drawing him into the moment he shared with Domini. _Always on the move, never on the run. This place was nothing but empty space when we landed here. And when the big one hit, and we lost them all, it was you, Max, who had the foresight to build a permanent playground._

Max sat back in the armchair by the bay window of his house with a smile. _Like it was yesterday_, _my boy_, he smiled. _You were always incorrigible, David. You took to the life so easily, so hungry for more. I saw it in you long before I turned you. You had gumption, kid_, Max smiled with pride. _But you're reckless and need taming. You still need guidance_.

_I've got your little lamb tamed; _David smirked as she moaned beneath him_. I'm guiding myself inside her right now. I've got her helpless and bent over a leather back just begging me to dominate her. She doesn't want a daddy, Max. She wants me. But I can play both parts if that's what she needs._

David smacked her bare ass hard as Domini whimpered her way into a moan. She had never been one for spanking until David was behind her, smoothing his cool hand over her burning flesh.

"Do you like that, princess?" he smirked, both asking Domini and pushing his question to Max.

"Yes," she moaned softly, wincing and tightening as he smacked her harder.

_She likes it, Max_, his mind laughed. _Maybe you were right after all. She needs discipline. But don't worry. I got her covered_, he grinned, spanking her harder and gripping the cup of her firm ass in his hand with a squeeze over the red handprint he had marked her with. _I can't thank you enough for the nudge. Talking has most definitely brought us closer_. David could feel Domini's body tightening over the swollen head of his cock, trying to draw him in deeper. _So close in fact, that I'm inside her right now._

He could feel the disconnect as Max shut down their connection, the mental equivalent of hanging up on a heavy breathing prank caller.

David snickered softly, twisting his fist in Domini's hair as he pulled her head back, reining her in for his thrust. He pushed into her with force, driving her into the seat he had her bent over.

She let out a scream of surprise and ecstasy as David rocked his hips against her. His free hand slapped her ass hard between thrusts as he rode her harder. She was moaning and bucking against the seat, wishing she could hold onto him instead. Domini's nails raked over the leather, wanting it to be his strong back.

"David please!" Domini begged. "I want to see you," she moaned.

He growled softly, pulling her hair back harder until her head nearly touched her back. David supposed he could humor her. She had been such a good sport all night and he had no real qualms about watching her face as he made her come.

Slipping out of her to both their dismay, David dropped back onto the seat and allowed her to turn around as he eased her over his lap.

Domini lowered herself onto him, feeling him fill her so deeply as she moaned. Her kiss devoured his lips, wanting David inside her in every way he could be.

He guided her hips, creating the rhythm that brought them both closer to the rush. He could smell the blood flowing through her and heating her core around him. David wanted to throw her down over the seat and fuck her right through it. He had not allowed a girl to be on top of him since he was human but David was still in complete control of her and they both knew it. His hands on her hips told her how fast, how hard, how deep he wanted and Domini followed his every demand, aching to please him. This was his reward for opening up to her, despite all the important details he had omitted. One day David would tell her everything. That night was reserved for fucking the pretty little thing on his lap and it was the last thought he gave the matter as he growled with need.

"_Ride me, girl_. **Hard**!"

Domini moaned louder, rocking her hips as her knees dug into the seat. David's hands were tight around her hips and he was driving her down over him so hard she was afraid she might hurt him. But David's only pained expression was one of need and she was bringing him to the edge.

They came together, breathing hard and panting into the cool night air. They were a sweaty mess of musky scents and tangled bodies and Domini did not want to leave his embrace. She reluctantly let him withdraw as she moved to the seat beside him, feeling empty without David inside her.

He was over her in a flash though, covering her with his body and kissing her lips until they smiled. David sat back in the opposite corner, sinking down and kicking his feet up over the bridge of the front seat as he lit a smoke. David nodded his head, waving her over as Domini curled up against his chest. Her naked body glowed in the moonlight as he tucked her into his arms.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he grinned.

She was not used to such compliments and it made her blush. Domini recorded the entire night in her memory, vowing never to doubt David's feelings for her again. She knew that David's emotions were tied to sex in a way that had been engrained in him. She had learned so much about him that night and all of it had surprised her. Domini understood David better though and she was so grateful he had let her in on who he was and why. She could take care of him in a way that David had needed for a very long time, whether he would admit it or not. Domini was just what he needed and she felt blessed that he had found her; chosen her. They could save each other.

David watched the smoke rise into the night sky. He wondered how long he would have to wait before he killed Domini. He wanted to see who she would become after he changed her. The more he could corrupt her before the change, the better. She would be soulless once he turned her but David had always believed he was a better vampire because of the darkness that had been within him before he was turned. He just had to lure her slowly. David had never been one for patience but at least she was making the time pass well. Domini would be a succulent addition to his pack and he could not wait to bathe in her blood and replace it with his own.

**_Tell the truth...too long? I hope you'll let me know! Thank you for reading! Cheers, Harley_**


	10. Chapter 10

**~ Chapter 10 ~**

**_I seem to always start out my Author's Notes the same way but my gratitude is genuine every single time. Thank you all so very much for your support of this story! Savanna, thank you! I always look forward to hearing your thoughts and I'm so happy you're enjoying David! I hope you'll like where it's going and prepare for the changes ahead! I'd say Chapter 11 sealed it for me and each chapter to follow it will reveal more and more. I hope you'll stick around and enjoy what's to still to come! Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

By the time David and Domini reached the cave, she had become apprehensive about seeing Sable. They had not left things on good terms at all and it had been a stunning surprise to see her best friend turn on her like that. Domini was unsure of how things would go and she could only hope that some sleep had done the girl a lot of good.

So many things were happening, but they meant nothing until she could share them with Sable. Domini could not remember a time when they did not know what was going on in each other's lives because they had shared a life for so long.

As they entered the lobby, Domini hung on David's arm, a smile draped across her lips, despite her trepidation. It was hard not to smile any time David was touching her and, the way he escorted her, keeping her close and yet showing her off, always seemed to feel like a privilege.

Marko looked at Sable and waited, knowing she would rise without provocation to go to Domini and follow out their earlier order. It made him laugh to himself to know that Sable would have apologized to her friend all on her own. Sometimes it was just more fun to make her do things though.

She made her way across the cave, and stopped in front of Domini. She was not sure where to begin and Sable could feel the others staring. "Can we talk?" she asked softly.

David made a point of looking to Domini, as if asking her if she wanted him to stay for support. He had no intention of doing it, but he thought it would score a few bonus points.

She smiled and shook her head, letting him go on while she followed Sable outside onto the beach.

They sat down by the water and Sable got a rush looking over at the spot where Marko had made love to her only an hour before. She turned her back on it, focusing on Domini and keeping her head clear.

"I'm so – _incredibly_ – sorry," Sable said, closing her eyes. She could not bear to see the pain on Domini's face. It was even worse knowing she had put it there.

Domini had no intention of holding anything against her. She could not stay angry with Sable, even if she tried. She expected answers though. "What happened?" she whispered.

The girl sighed, shaking her head. "I was just so tired and messed up from last night. I was hungover and...I don't know," she groaned with embarrassment. "I just felt so...lost."

Domini nodded. "It's okay," she tried to smile. It felt awkward and unnatural to have that chasm between them. She simply wanted it to go away so things could go back to normal. "Are you feeling better?"

"_So_ much better," Sable sighed with relief.

"Good," Domini smiled. "So what exactly _did_ happen last night?"

They were like two school girls then and everything went back to normal. They faced one another fully and Sable jumped right in with emphatic hands and an excited gleam in her eye. "It's hard to say," she laughed. "I can only remember bits and pieces but the parts that stuck with me were unbelievable!" she gushed. "Tonight though, we had the most incredible time together and I remember every glorious second of it. It was so romantic, under the moon by the ocean!"

Domini listened with enthusiasm as Sable's electrified animation sent her into a whirlwind of emphatic gestures and moon-eyed sighs. She could see her friend falling so hard and fast and she matched Sable's exhilaration in telling her how close she and David had become in an equally short amount of time. She wanted to tell her everything but Domini did not offer any of the details from David's past. She felt like it would be a betrayal to him, even though it seemed disloyal to withhold anything from Sable.

"I'm so happy for you, Domini," she grinned. "David is so into you and he can't stop talking about you."

Struck by her comment, Domini furrowed her brow. "When did you and David talk?" she wondered.

"Before he went to pick you up at work," she smiled coyly. "He thinks you walk on water," Sable laughed. "You really struck a chord in David. He said he can't remember the last time he felt so connected to anyone."

What should have felt heartwarming to hear, seemed sad in a way to Domini. Why could he tell Sable those things but not her? He had opened up about his mother and father to Domini, sensitive details he had not shared with Sable. Every other element of David's past that he had exposed to her though had been sexual in nature and his arousal had replaced the intimacy Domini had thought it to be - up until that moment. It bothered her even more that she had gone along with it. She had been turned on by it. What did that say about her? What did it mean for them?

"What's wrong?" Sable asked with concern laced through her face.

She shook her head and looked away, out at the ocean that looked just as turbulent as her mixed emotions. Domini had just promised herself that she would not doubt David's intentions but already she had misgivings about the whole experience they had shared. It almost seemed like she had been cheated out of the intimate talk that Max had built Domini up to believe she was worth. Why was it so effortless for David to offer Sable the deeper aspects of his feelings but share mainly a carnal connection with Domini?

"Hey," Sable frowned. "Please don't do this to yourself."

"Do what?" she asked, knowing that her best friend knew exactly what she was doing. It was what Domini always did. She felt a glimpse of happiness and almost immediately internalized everything until she became unworthy of it.

Sable took her hand and held it tight. "I won't _let_ you do this to yourself, Domini," she promised. "David is a good guy and he's falling head over boots for you," she laughed, causing her friend to smile. "He's the kind of man who will take care of you. I believe that with all of my heart," Sable swore. "David doesn't care about stupid things that most guys do. He's _literally_ carved out a piece of the earth to be his kingdom," she laughed. "He's made a family that he can trust and take care of. David just wants to share it all with someone and that _princess_, as he says, is _you_, Domini," she smiled.

When she put it that way, Domini had high hopes again and she could not help but feel ashamed of herself for doubting David over and over. The flaws she continued to find were really her own, not his. She would be better off to remember that.

"He really said all that?" Domini smiled sheepishly.

Sable put one palm to her heart while the other faced outward in an oath. "Hand to God," she smiled.

Domini's quizzical expression watched Sable closely. "You don't believe in God," she whispered.

David flinched in the shadows of the tunnel as he listened. When he had placed all of those phrases and 'memories' into Sable's mind, creating the illusion of a heart-to-heart talk she could share with Domini, he had not known that integral piece of information. He was counting on Sable to recover from it and defend him the way he and Marko had trained her to.

Sable nodded with a tender smile. "I know - but I can't think of any other way to wrap your mind around what your heart should already know."

David almost gagged. He watched Domini's eyes light up though and he slipped back through the tunnel, impressed with their little wind-up toy taking her first few steps on her own. Perhaps he would spare Sable the slap Domini had earned her friend for calling him a liar. The memory of her disrespect rose in him like bile and he tucked away the option of substituted penalty for a rainy night.

Marko grinned as David approached. "How are our loyal subjects doing out there?"

He snickered. "The peasants aren't revolting yet so I suppose it's a good sign."

"What are they doing?" Dwayne wondered.

David rolled his eyes. "Yapping away to each other like cocker spaniels."

Marko frowned. "I can't imagine an existence based around nothing but sharing. It makes me queasy. Or hungry," he reasoned. "And speaking of hungry, where the hell is Paul with the food?" Marko asked.

Casting a grimace in his direction, David then closed his eyes, holding his fingers to the bridge of his nose with aggravation. "Tell me Paul is not about to carry freshly hunted meat past our future main course."

Marko shook his head with a smile. "Nope, _our_ dinner's upstairs, unconscious and hogtied for a roast. I just asked him to bring Chinese to surprise Sable cause she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday."

David nodded with relief before the notion struck him like lightning and a growl rose in him like thunder. "_Chinese_?" he snarled. "**Dammit**!"

He was calling to Paul in his mind as he flew straight through the tunnel and dug his boot heels into the sand to steady himself before the girls could see him. It was already too late to reach Paul. Domini was rocking back and forth and shaking while Sable shouted her name and Paul recoiled in confusion.

"Domini!" he called out, running to her side and practically pushing Sable out of his way. "Hey, hey, hey," he started in a whisper to soothe her as it became a frantic shout to reach her. "Come back to me, girl," David ordered, wishing he could control her.

Paul held the box of food like a bomb about to explode. "I have - _no idea_ - what I just did - but I'm pretty sure - it was very, _very_ wrong."

He spun around and glared at him. "Get rid of it!" he ordered.

In a panic, Paul threw it up over his head where it landed in a mess behind him. Paul crossed his arms awkwardly and kicked the sand backward over it.

David groaned and hung his head. "Thank you, Paul. That was incredibly helpful."

"What?" he shrugged helplessly.

David scooped Domini up into his arms and carried her toward the cave. She stopped shaking as soon as she was in his arms but there was no life behind her distant eyes.

Sable followed closely behind him in a panic. "You don't understand, David! You have to let me talk to her!"

He shook his head. "I've got her, Sable. Stand down," he muttered.

She was insistent, clawing at his arm. "You don't know what's going on! Put her down! I need to get through to her!" Sable was borderline hysterical but she knew that Domini's memories were flooding back and drowning her. She knew that something as simple as rice to anyone else was meaningless, but to Domini it was the trigger of a loaded gun. "David **stop**!" she shouted.

David turned with Domini in his arms and kicked his boot out hard where it connected with her stomach and knocked Sable to the ground. "And _stay_ the fuck down," he ordered.

He glanced back to Paul who was digging a frantic hole in the sand to bury the food. David rolled his eyes. "Would you take _care_ of this?" he snarled, nodding toward Sable.

Paul jumped to his feet with a frustrated huff. "Well I'm kina' still in the middle of the _last_ favor you asked me to do for you!" One last glare from David's eyes had him singing a new tune. "Not a favor, _definitely_ an order and I am _on_ it, man," Paul promised.

While Paul pushed Sable into believing that her stomach hurt from hunger pangs, David carried the catatonic girl straight through the cave and upstairs. He lay her down on the bed, finding her arms pliable like wax as he moved her limbs so she could lay flat. Domini had retreated so deep within herself, David was not even sure he could reach her.

He lay down beside her, turning Domini's blank eyes to face him. David had never looked into anyone's eyes and seen death inside them while they were still alive. It gave his already cooled body a chill. She was more unnatural than even he was. It was the first time David had ever felt thrown off kilter, his next move as blank as her eyes. For a split second, David wanted to call for Max, a childe needing his father.

"Come back to me, princess," David whispered, brushing the pad of his thumb over her cheek.

Domini could hear the far away echo of David's voice calling to her. His furrowed brow over those blue eyes was a pinprick vision like those slide viewer key chains sold on the beach; a tunneled image of a picture through a telescope. Domini waited for the rush that came each time she was pulled out of that bottomless abyss that imprisoned her. She felt like a balloon, floating aimlessly despite its tethered foundation. Sometimes it was just too hard to go back, when the darkness enveloped her, holding her tight like a lover unwilling to let go.

"I'm right here," David called to her. "Follow my voice, sugar."

Each word that dripped off that sweet tongue was a bread crumb leading her back. Domini found herself holding the darkness, returning its embrace. There was no fear there, no worry or pain. That blank void rebuffed confusion and rejected the keeping of time in its hallowed hall. Domini could breathe without reservation in that emptiness and it was harder to return from it every time she escaped there. She missed it like an old friend every time she abandoned it. The darkness never abandoned Domini. At times she felt like a traitor for turning her back on it.

David was waiting for her though, there in a slip of moonlight of the dark room. Surely she could trade her well of blackness for the dim shadow of his room where faithful arms could hold her. Domini felt her soul reaching for David, slowly moving her toward him in her mind until her eyes could see him in front of her, close enough to kiss.

"There you are," David whispered with a relieved smile, finding her again.

The corners of his hopeful reprieve were short lived as the tears welled up in Domini's eyes and fell as soon as she closed them; shutting out the world he had brought her back to. David reached out, tenderly pulling her toward him and letting her crumble into a ball against his chest while he held her.

David's mind quickly wandered to the lobby, wishing he was down there with the rest of the lot doing whatever it was they were doing, knowing it would be far more fun. He had not slipped in any way, although David knew his brothers would think differently. His distress had never been for Domini's actual well being. His only concern was for losing his control over her. David was incapable of wasted emotions like fear, unless it was in regards to power. He ached to get away from her weakness and set the record straight in the eyes of his brothers, the only real alarm coursing through him. David would not stand for doubt under his roof.

"Let me get you some water," he whispered. "Stay here. Don't move," he warned her, trying not to sound as frustrated as he felt.

He left her lying there in a quiet ball, alone in the darkness. David found his brothers sitting around Sable, each of them with at least one hand feeling over her body. He watched for a moment, mildly amused as they groped her simultaneously. Sable had no idea how many people were taking from her or that they would give nothing back but the evisceration of her memories. He lost patience for the show quickly, wanting to deal with more important matters.

"Shut her off," David growled.

Marko tipped her chin up so that Sable's blank eyes could absorb his command. _Sleep_, he pushed, snapping his fingers as her head dropped down.

Paul sat back with a frown, his favorite new program just a blank screen. "How's your little buzz kill?" he nodded toward the ceiling.

"Quiet," he shrugged. David eyed them; waiting for them to ask what he knew was on their minds. He did not have to read them. It was right there staring back at him; those looks of worry he was losing his edge. "_Well_?" he asked expectantly, raising a brow with contempt in his eye.

Marko shook his head, unwilling to be the one to say it. He knew better.

A careless shrug and two defensive hands left Dwayne satisfied to keep his mouth shut, and still attached to his face.

Paul, so young and eager, was the one to fall out of line. He laughed and slapped his knee. "I'll be damned, man. Never thought I'd see the night that you got scared over a blood muffin."

David cracked a smile and dropped his head, nodding.

Dwayne shifted on the couch, moving inches closer to Sable's lifeless body as Marko tucked her to his side. They could see it coming seconds before Paul ever knew the mistake he had just made.

Flying across the cavernous divide, David gripped Paul in his fists and swung him up to the wall where it met the ceiling. His growl spit, "_You_** insolent **_little_** fuck**!"

"David," Marko said softly, earning a glare that silenced him.

Turning back to Paul's shamed face, David snarled. "The only reason I'm not nine inches into that bitch right now is because you set her back ten fucking years!"

"Dude, I'm sorry!" Paul flustered, his boots scraping the wall behind him for leverage he could not muster. "I don't know what happened!"

David dropped him straight to the ground, breaking the table in his fall. He collected himself and descended to the cave floor in front of his crumpled brother.

"Fuck, man," Paul groaned. "That's gonna' bruise a minute."

David extended his hand, helping Paul to his feet again. "I know," he nodded, facing off against him still.

"You know that I didn't realize she would freak out or that it was gonna' hurt when you dropped my ass?" he wondered.

David shrugged with a small smile. "Both."

He nodded, biting at his lip. "I'm sorry, man. For all of it, okay?" It was hard to look at David when he was angry and disappointed, too rare and raw for the relationship they had built over the years.

Turning away and taking his seat, David lit a smoke and exhaled slowly while he resumed his train of thought. "You needed to be corrected," he warned Paul from a safer distance. "You know that, right?"

"I do _now_," Paul scoffed. He straddled the arm of the couch, pulling his knees up just to have another barrier between them besides the space. "So you weren't scared. I get that now," he promised. "What was it then?"

David frowned, trying to find the right words to explain. He eyed Sable, her chin to her chest like a limp rag doll. "Wake her up and send her to Domini. Her weakness is permeating the cave," he muttered.

Marko snapped his fingers in front of Sable as she lifted her head. _Go be with her. Do whatever it is you do that makes her feel like herself again_.

Sable blinked back to life. "I'm going to go up and check on Domini, okay?" Marko nodded and she kissed his lips, excusing herself as she ran upstairs to tend to her fragile friend.

Once he was sure she was out of earshot, David answered the question that still hung in the air. "She's an investment, Paul," he frowned. "Domini is death incarnate and that makes her special. When the Market crashed and men jumped out of windows and ate their guns, do you think it was because they were in love with the money they had lost?"

Paul shrugged. "Before my time, man."

David closed his eyes, nodding. "When you wake up at night and reach for your joint and it isn't there, are you scared?"

"Fuck yeah!" Paul laughed. "That's a reoccurring nightmare for sure."

"Why?" David questioned him.

He considered it for a moment. "Because I put a lot of time into the little thing." Paul reached into his pocket, smiling at the rolled paper with great affection. "I had to go out and find it, bring it home and break it up, roll it and burn the edges til it sealed," he went on, cocking his head back and forth over all of the steps and work he put into each one.

David could see the light bulb trying to flicker on in Paul's head. "Come on, Paul," he egged him on with a smirk.

"Ohhh," he laughed. "I gotchya. She's an investment."

He smiled, "Yes. I'm putting a ridiculous amount of my time and energy into drawing her into this pack. It's not fear or love," he grimaced, spitting onto the floor to rid his tongue of the taste of those bitter words. "It's concern for my venture. I did not sit there tonight and listen to Domini drabble on about her book report on how she spent her summer vacation to get here just to watch her spin off into oblivion," David growled. "But you were right about one thing," he added.

Paul perked up, lighting his joint with a smile. "I was?"

He nodded with a grin. "You are _damned_. We _all_ are. And she will be too."

"Yeahhhh," Paul laughed excitedly.

He snarled, "Provided you quit _fucking_ things up for me."

Paul nodded. "Right, I'm gonna' work on that, man. Truly," he promised.

David exhaled a long stream of smoke, wondering just how far Paul had set him back. With any luck, Sable would do his dirty work and listen to Domini's woes so he could swoop in at the end and reap the benefits. Knowing Domini, it would be a while and the girls would be talking late into the night.

"Dwayne, let's ride," he nodded.

Jumping to his feet, his brother was ready to go. "Where are we off to?"

David grinned. "To destroy Max's investment like he ruined mine."

"Alriiight," Dwayne growled with enthusiasm.

Marko's puckered brow sulked. "_Just_ him?"

David nodded. "I need you here in case Sable comes down."

"Paul can push her," he insisted, not wanting to miss out on the fun.

They all looked to Paul who was dangerously close to setting his hair-sprayed mop on fire as he played an air guitar solo that knocked the joint into a fray of embers. While Paul brushed at his hair and jacket, David turned slowly back to Marko with a raised brow.

"Fine," Marko sighed.

The two brothers set off into the night, heading straight for the Boardwalk under the guise of night. David was prepared to make Max wish he had never messed with Domini's mind and he would make sure his Sire would keep too busy to try it again.

He stood in front of the storefront, Dwayne at his side, anxious to have some real fun. David slid the pipe from the inside of his coat and assumed a batter's stance. David stared at the reflection of the pipe in mid-air, wishing he could see how cool it must look as he swung hard and shattered the glass.

"If it's whole," David smirked to Dwayne, "smash it."

The brothers stepped over the rim of the door and into the store where they ripped the videos off the wall, destroying the cases and stringing the ribbons of the tapes over the hanging decorations like children toilet papering trees on Halloween. They smashed through the glass counters and shredded the cardboard stand-ups. Max's office looked like the big one that hit San Francisco in 1906 had reprised its role, turning the desk on its side and piling the bookshelves over like dominoes. The brothers laughed and howled as they destroyed everything they could get their greedy hands on, including the surveillance videos which never would have shown them, but would have given them away.

As they stepped out into the night on the empty Boardwalk, David stood back, admiring their destruction. He took out a can of red spray paint from his pocket and began the words.

"Think he'll get the message?" David smirked.

Dwayne laughed, swinging his leg over his bike as he looked over the long letters that stretched from Max's storefront to the edge of the Boardwalk where it met the beach. "I don't think he could miss it," he grinned.

**TALK IS CHEAP!**

**MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!**

**_Anyone want to see how Max takes the news? Curious as to what's in store for Domini and Sable? I hope you'll let me know. Review or PM me anytime. I'm dying to know your delicious thoughts!_**

**_Cheers, Harley_**


	11. Chapter 11

**~ Chapter 11 ~**

**_I'm going to have to move this story along faster than I had planned. It's too difficult for me to remain in a mindset where Sable is being endlessly tortured over and over. Mind games are one thing; the repeated brutality against even a fictional character, physically and emotionally, is another. These are not easy chapters to write and I'm finding myself not wanting to write because of the dark places they demand I go. So I'm adding this note after finishing this chapter with the hopes that you're ready to move on from the depths of this darkness as well. There are wonderfully fun turns ahead! Cheers, Harley_**

**_This is the chapter I had told you about a while ago. By the end of this chapter, everything will change. I hope you enjoy where they go!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

David crept through the hallway toward Domini and Sable's soft voices. He could hear them from the moment he rose over the first step from the Lobby and his interest had been piqued immediately, grateful they had already moved on from what had happened earlier.

Domini smiled, settled and relaxed beside her best friend. "He's even greater than I thought he would be. He's so amazing, Sable. Get to know him more."

Feeling like he had bonded with Sable in every way he cared to, David dreaded the thought of having to listen to yet another girl. He could not stomach the thought of one more night of a heart-to-heart talk, especially when only one of those hearts was beating. David would not waste any time getting to know the doll he already knew intimately.

No, bonding was out of the question; bondage was still on the table though.

"You should spend more time with him, with _us_, in fact," Domini urged. "I want you to know him like I do. I promise you won't regret it," she grinned.

David's ears perked at what he hoped she was convincing Sable to do. Was Domini really game for bringing Sable into their bed? He licked his lips, remembering how easily Domini had gotten off on listening to him reminisce about his past conquests. David had known that the darkness inside Domini could be harnessed to his advantage but he had not considered she would be willing to share him so soon. After the turn, yes, but now?

Sable nodded. "I don't think Marko's going to like sharing me. We've got a really great thing started."

Domini smiled. "Just one night," she begged.

"Okay, okay. I'll give it a go. For _you_," Sable emphasized.

What a convincing little minx she was, he mused. Domini was proving to be an exciting asset and David would relish in the darkness inside her as he taught her to control it and use it for other people's pain, instead of her own. She would come to learn the pleasure of that darkness and he could not wait to show her how. But first, David was going to enjoy their proposition, already picturing them on the other side of the wall, stretched out across his bed with only a small space between them for him to conquer. He adjusted himself, not wanting to walk in with a hard on before they invited him to join them.

Domini smiled excitedly. "Max is going to be so happy you're coming back and you're really going to like him. I just know it."

His blood ran colder and his arousal turned flaccid with immediate disappointment and fury to hear his Sire's name on Domini's lips. He had misread her, misjudged her completely, and it left David wishing he had burned that damn store to the ground instead so Max could never recover from it.

_Marko_, David called. _Get your bitch outta my bed and back under your thumb where she belongs. And teach her a lesson about what happens to little girls who betray us to Max's allegiance. _

His brother was behind him in a flash, inching past the heaviness that filled the hallway with David's looming presence.

David's eyes narrowed in the darkness, making his point loud and clear. _I will fuck that girl's skull if you allow her to make one more decision on her own._

A nod of understanding had Marko through the door and picking up his toy like a scolded child. "Sorry, Domini. I'm going to need to borrow Sable," he grinned. "You can't monopolize her all night."

She smiled, waving to Sable as she was carried away further up the hallway with her happy arms around her lover's neck. Domini curled her feet up to her chest as David swung slowly around the corner, leaning against the doorway. She did not know what to say to him. It was hard enough, having Sable see her the way she had been. Domini was humiliated and she did not want to explain herself to him. She did not want to appear weak in David's eyes when he was always so strong.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

Her lip twisted between her teeth as she nodded, afraid her voice would be too shaky.

David closed the door behind him and moved across the room, climbing up over the bed and tucking her into his arms. He wondered how long he would have to hold her.

Unable to bear the long conversation about her tormented past, Domini decided to bypass the whole ugly reveal and take David's mind off of her complete meltdown. She knew how to get to David and, if she tried hard enough, maybe she could even make him forget what he had seen. Domini did not want those awful images in his mind. She could not let those beautiful blue eyes cast pity over her.

She drew her hand behind David's neck, pulling him closer. Her breath ghosted over his lips as she looked up into his eyes, holding his attention before placing a tentative lick to that beautiful curl of his lip.

David was more than happy to avoid another long talk and he admired Domini's willingness to play to her opponent. It was a relief to know she was not going to share her sad stories. He already knew them anyway. But David still had a part to play and he had to make it believable.

He deepened her kiss but then lowered his head as if she had taken his breath away. "Domini," he whispered, hoping it sounded like he had a sentence to follow that might beg her to tell him everything. The truth was, David had not thought past her name and the sweet taste of her tongue against his.

"Shhh," Domini whispered, placing her finger over his lips and tracing the smooth curves. "I'm okay, David," she promised, easing him onto his back across the bed. "I don't want to talk," she grinned. Domini ran her hand over the length of his body, focusing on the thickening bulge beneath her palm. "You brought me back to you and that's all that matters right now. I just want to thank you," she smiled, unzipping his pants and drawing the black leather down his legs.

"You don't need to thank me, princess," David lied, because she did; she _did_ need to thank him for lying beside her and keeping him waiting while she struggled with the demons inside her instead of fucking the one right in front of her. Once he turned her, Domini would understand her true purpose in life, in death, and how it was only to please him. For the moment though, David would keep up his pretense since he was already getting what he wanted.

Domini had no intention of opening a vein for him and spilling her soul. She appreciated that David wanted to know her better and it only reinforced her newfound assuredness that Max had been wrong about him. She was the instigator that time and she was in total control.

"But I _want_ to thank you," she grinned.

He watched Domini saddle her thighs around his bared legs. She was playing to his visual nature and David was proud of himself for teaching her so quickly.

"You can tell me anything," he offered, only because he knew she would not.

Domini nodded. "I know." She palmed his growing length, wrapping her delicate fingers around his thickening width. "But how can I talk when my mouth is wrapped around you?" she smirked, lowering her wet lips to take him into her mouth.

He sighed with relief as his cock silenced her. The only sounds he wanted to come from her pretty little mouth were moans as he slid over her tongue. David watched her with hungry eyes, turned on more each time she looked up at him with that spark in her eyes. He rubbed the back of her neck, collecting her soft blonde hair and twisting it behind her head so he could have a clear view as she suckled him as deeply as her throat would comfortably allow. David's hips rose slightly, pushing further and holding her still until she adjusted to him.

"Ohhh, sugar," he moaned, finally letting her ease over the shaft of his cock and then guiding the back of her head down again. David controlled the measure of her rhythm, showing her what he liked. "Just like that," he approved.

It would still be better if he could tangle both girls around him like a puzzle only he could solve but she was making up for it as best she could, especially since Domini did not know she owed him for the earlier disappointment. David knew that Marko would make Sable suffer for it.

As he listened more closely, his senses fine-tuned to the sound of fear, David could hear Sable's soft whimpers upstairs, right above them. He stared at the ceiling, closing his eyes and picturing the glorious things that were happening to her.

Marko sat on the poster bed, Sable's head lying in his lap as he admired how pretty she looked. She had removed her clothes without question, in absolute obedience. Sable had looked nervous as he slowly unscrewed the metal ball from the foot-post, but what he admired was that she had not asked what it was for. Sable had complete trust in him not to hurt her, despite all of the questions racing through her fragile mind. It had only been once he placed it at her lips that Sable had protested. One small push of his mind, and then his fingers, and he had Sable ball-gagged and quiet beneath him. Undoing the push had been the most enjoyable part as he tied a bandana around her head, holding that metal ball in her mouth. Her scream had been reduced to soft whimpers and the only thing Sable could convey was the terror in her eyes.

He petted her hair gently with a grin as he looked down over her. "I know you're confused, honey. You're probably wondering why I'm doing this to you," he cooed, holding her wrists with his other hand. "But what you should really be asking yourself right now, Sable – is what did you do to bring this on yourself?" he smirked.

Sable trembled all over, recoiling from Marko's touch and his velvety voice that did not at all match the things he was saying and doing. Ten minutes before she had been sitting with Domini – and then...

Everything was a blurry mess after Marko had carried her upstairs to what was left of the second floor of the hotel. Marko had lost his mind somewhere between the doorway of the bedroom and the bed he had her bound on. She cried softly, desperately trying to figure out why he had changed from tender and sweet to torturous and savage. None of it made any sense and Sable was helpless, if not hopeless.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter if you understand why this is happening to you or not," Marko shrugged. "But I think it will be beneficial to the moment for you to understand my motivations," he grinned. Marko snickered, "You pissed David off. I don't know how and I don't much care. All that matters, really, is that you fucked up royally, honey. See, everyone's better off when David's happy. And right now? He ain't happy with _you_. So I'm here to fix that."

Sable began to cry harder, tears streaming down her face as she shut her confused eyes and tried to block out her fear.

"It's okay though," he cooed, "because I'm going to make it all better." Marko could see an iota of relief wash over her eyes and it made him chuckle. "Oh no, darlin', not better for _you_; for _him_. You, well," he grinned, "you're going to suffer dearly for whatever it is you did to turn him off. As well you should," he reasoned.

Sable whimpered, her jaw aching from the metal ball suppressing her tongue and the scream it blocked from her throat. She did not know how he was holding her so effortlessly with one hand or why Marko was doing any of it at all. She kicked her feet but there did not seem to be anything she could do as he controlled her. How had she not known how insane Marko was? Was he just that good of a sociopath that she had not had a single warning bell go off inside her mind? Was Marko the one who was broken, or was she?

Continuing with his casual explanation, Marko shrugged. "I'm sure you'd much rather I push your mind into believing we're going to make love again. The truth is, we never have. Not that you'd remember," he laughed, enjoying watching the devastation in Sable's eyes all over again. It was even better the second time she realized he was a monster. "I've pushed your mind more times than I've pushed your hips. And I've fucked you a lot," Marko laughed. "David's gotten a handful of you too, and without even pushing you, you loved it, Sable," he grinned. "So, on some level, one you don't even know about, you're just aching to please this pack. And tonight, you'll get your chance."

Sable lifted her head at the slight movement out of the corner of her eye, finding Paul and Dwayne filling the doorframe. The look in their eyes and the deceit in their smiles told her they were just as insane as Marko was and David was clearly the ringleader of the psychotic circus. Domini was just downstairs and she was alone with him. Was she being tormented too? The only thing that Sable could do was cry for them both.

She twisted her body, crossing her legs to cover herself in any way she could, hating their hungry eyes as they moved closer, swinging the door shut behind them.

"Don't be shy now, honey," Marko snickered. "You're not showin' 'em anything you haven't before. Only difference is, tonight they're gonna' get their turn."

"I think we've been patient," Paul nodded as Dwayne climbed to her side and pried her knees apart. He held her thigh up to her side as Marko held her wrists with one hand and her leg with the other. "Marko, may I?" he grinned.

"You may," he smiled.

Paul focused on Sable's terrified eyes as she shut them tightly. He was over her in an instant, gripping the sides of her head as his squeezing palms covered her ears. She did not need them to hear what he was going to tell her. It was easier to insert his thoughts into her mind where they could become a part of her.

_You don't see me, Sable. I'm not here. Dwayne and Marko are not here. No one is holding you down. You're tied to the bedposts and you can't break free_, he grinned as his brothers released her. Sable's arms and legs stretched out to the posts they truly believed they were bound to.

Marko rubbed his hands, more than happy to put them to better use than restraining her. Paul had always been so creative and Marko enjoyed watching the artist at work. Marko cupped Sable's breast, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her right nipple until it began to respond to his touch while Dwayne's teeth pinched her left.

Fixated on Sable's obedient eyes, Paul continued. _You came upstairs with Marko and fell asleep. And now you're having the most excruciating nightmare. You can feel every touch, but none of them belong to us. You don't see any of us at all. You see Max,_ he glared as Sable's eyes widened.

Max's long face smiled over her, his once kind eyes burning through her as he held her captive. Like any dream, she could not move or scream. Sable willed herself to change the nightmare into a dream and snap the restraints but they did not release her. She imagined Marko rushing in to save her but the door remained closed. It was petrifying to be awake in a nightmare she could not control.

Nothing made sense as she felt so many hands over her naked body but it was clear that they all belonged to Max somehow. That was always how nightmares worked; nothing made sense but it still happened and was accepted anyway. It was the worst nightmare Sable had suffered in years but she knew that she would not wake until the dream was done with her; until _Max_ was done with her.

Paul tested his finger against the soft resistance of Sable's slit, finding her dry, but warm, and he was glad. He had heard Marko's call when he was in the lobby and he had not skipped a beat in rushing to his aid to inflict pain on Sable for making David angry. Paul knew exactly why he was there and what his mission was as he forced his finger deep inside her clenched body.

"Ohhh, I _know_ that hurt," Paul mocked her. "I think I sprained my knuckle just gettin' in there," he laughed. Removing his pants, Paul shook his head. "I'm not about to send my General into combat unarmed on any suicide mission though." He spit crudely into his hand, coating his lengthening cock for just enough lubrication to make it easier on himself, but not for Sable.

Once Dwayne had brought her supple nipple into a hardened nub rising over her breast, he sunk his fangs into the fleshy softness that surrounded it. Her pert nipple grazed the roof of his mouth as he drank deeply with a moan.

Marko kept his eyes on Sable's as she tried to scream around that metal ball. He could smell the adrenaline rushing through her veins, dilating her pupils to let in more light to aid her fight or flight response. Her anxiety rose with her inability to attack or run, completely defenseless against what was happening and all that was still to come.

"Don't get carried away," Marko warned Dwayne. "We need her conscious." He grinned down at her, brushing Sable's hair as she cried. "She needs to feel it all."

Dwayne unclamped his teeth from her flesh and licked a salty tear streaming from her frightened eye. His finger rubbed her blood around her nipple, painting a red target with a pink bulls-eye in the center and flicking it with his finger before pinching it hard.

Paul positioned himself, knowing it was going to hurt him as he entered her, but he would adjust her to his liking. It would hurt Sable far worse. He readied himself and drove inside her, both of them growling with every painful inch that divided her dry walls. Paul groaned once his swelled tip dipped into the sweet well at her core, like a dousing rod finding water in the desert. Paul was invigorated by the warmth as it met him and he used it to ease back a few inches before diving in again.

Sable's mouth widened around the metal ball as she released a muffled cry. She shut her eyes tight as the tears streamed down, Max's fingers brushing them away as quickly as they fell. Somehow he was also gripping her hips as he pumped through her clenched body and every detail was more vivid than any nightmare. She was trapped like an animal and her torture was too real.

David smirked at the ceiling above him, knowing Sable's pained cries were loud enough only for his senses. If Domini knew that her best friend was right above her, tortured by their taking, she would not be sucking his cock with that smile wrapped around him. Sable's excruciation could have brought him to the edge all on its own but David would deny himself, extending his pleasure for the duration of her torment just to enjoy it more.

She ran her lips over his length, suckling his tip to draw a single bead of sweetness across her tongue. It was exhilarating to have David beneath her, controlled by her tongue the way his confident voice had such power over her. Still, even with David moaning under her, it was his hand on the back of her head directing her rhythm. He never let go of an ounce of his power and Domini knew she could learn so much from David. She wanted to be like him. As quickly as she thought it, he took more control, and Domini gave it to him, freely.

He tugged at his fist full of her hair, drawing her up over him and tucking her into a roll so he was on top of Domini. He pulled at her shorts, sliding them down her thighs swiftly as she removed her shirt on her own. David yanked his shirt over his head, wanting nothing between them but her warm skin.

His smiling cheek pushed her thigh to the side as David licked his tongue inside her. Domini's moan filled his ears but he wanted it to find its way upstairs to Sable. His finger slipped inside her, curling up to push that little button that made her scream as his tongue suckled her clit into tiny tremors that racked her supple body.

"Ohhhh!" Domini moaned out.

"Louder, sugar," David smirked, hooking his finger harder and waiting for her screams to be heard.

Paul grinned excitedly, pinching Sable's clit until his fingertips met. "Can you hear 'em down there? David's got your little friend's legs wrapped around him and she's lovin' every inch of him," Paul laughed, knowing she heard only Max's voice.

He wasted no time on being gentle with a girl who would not remember the rough buck of his hips as they slammed into her. She would hate Max for every thrust though and he laughed with a low grunt as he fucked her into the mattress she believed she was bound on. Paul took every advantage of the shiny new toy in their playroom. He thrust harder, digging her back into the bed.

Marko slipped down to her side, watching the rise and fall of flesh stretched under her ribcage as she panted and cried. The shine of her blood around her nipple was permeating the air. Marko could have fed off her fear alone but that sweet blood was the only part of Sable that had not yet dominated his taste buds. He looked to Dwayne who was pinching Sable's nipple into a hard, red bruise of broken blood vessels. His brother nodded to him with a grin as Marko extended his fangs and sunk them into her flesh just beneath her ribcage. Her anxiety thickened her blood as it rushed over his tongue.

Paul could feel her tighten around him but he was not ready to relinquish his hold inside her. It was still his turn and Paul was going to get his time's worth.

David chuckled a low growl between Domini's thighs as his tongue darted in and out of her. He had two fingers over that sweet spot, grazing across it as she came across his lapping tongue. Domini's moans came in short panting gasps but he was not willing to let them die on her lips. He resumed the soft flicks of his tongue over her clit, suckling her between his teeth and building a new rise of arousal within her.

"I'm just gettin' ya' warmed up, sugar,' he smirked, pinning her thighs to the bed at her sides and fucking her with his tongue as the curl of his lip nudged her clit.

She was so turned on and David had her on the brink of coming again within seconds. She ran her fingers through his platinum hair, gripping it in her fist as she trembled against his expert tongue. Domini screamed out as he licked her into further submission.

Paul snickered as Sable writhed beneath him, pulling her hips back each time he thrust her forward. Paul knew the pain was intense and it excited him more. "Find a way through it, girl," he advised her, fucking her relentlessly. "I'm not done makin' my way through _you_," Paul howled.

Sable's screams were so loud inside her head, even though they could not find their way out. They were held captive, just as Sable was locked inside that nightmare. Max's wide smile was unbearable as he took her against her will and the sharp cuts at her side made Sable feel like she was being torn apart from every direction.

Pouring himself inside her, Paul threw his head over her stomach and sunk his fangs into her thigh. He drank those first few drops of sweet blood and finished inside her with a hungry growl.

Dwayne's voice was deep, even when only his mind was speaking, placing each thought in her head. _You can't trust Max, Sable. He's up to something and it's up to you to keep far away from him. The boys and Domini are the only ones you can trust. We're family. We will be your family, Sable._

Jumping in, Paul turned her eyes back to him. His grinning lips remained stained and still while his mind pushed deeper. We're_ way more fun than that stuffy suit. You need more fun in your life, Sable. You need us._

Marko tipped her chin up to meet her eyes. _We're all you need. We're all you'll ever need. You're one of us, Sable. You need to fight for us._

Sable shook her head, thrashing from side to side. She was stuck in a nightmare but her mind was being pulled apart with so many other thoughts. She could not focus on the nightmare or any one thought. Sable did not know anymore if she was being torn apart or coming undone.

David could hear Sable's whimpers change from pain to confusion with a frantic fray in her momentum. He needed to know what was going on, but she could wait. Sable _would_ wait until he was good and ready to rescue her. David hated the block inside Domini's mind that denied him entry but there was still one part of her that would allow him inside.

David snarled as he placed his swollen tip at her entrance, driving inside her and pushing Domini deep into the mattress as she screamed. He would make it up to her later but in that moment, David wanted her to hurt and he was too hungry to care how hard he was ripping through her.

Domini screamed louder, clawing at David's back and raking his skin under her nails. "Da- vid!" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. "David, n..."

He cut off her denial before it could escape her lips, filling her mouth with his kiss and swallowing the word. His hips bucked into hers, and David pushed his hand down between them to rub her clit hard until her protests against his tongue ceased and he was swallowing her moans again. He released her lips, looking down into her eyes and finding her fear replaced with pleasure. For a moment he missed the terror in her eyes but as she came around his thrusting cock, David settled for the flush in her cheeks as he brought her to another climax. He knew he should never have let it get that far but Domini had it coming. It was too frustrating to have the one girl in the world that he could not drink and make her forget.

He pushed deeper inside her and trembled there until he was finished, falling over Domini and kissing her lips to taste her forgiveness. David reasoned there was not much he could do that Domini would not forgive him for if he continued to interlace pain with pleasure. She was learning so quickly that if she wanted him, she had to take him the way he was.

"Are you alright?" he panted.

Domini nodded, still catching her breath. She did not want him to know that he had scared her for a moment. She knew that David would feel terrible if he knew he had hurt her and it had only been for a few seconds. She was the one who had gotten him so turned on that he had lost control, needing her with a voracious appetite. David had been content to just sit and talk with her but Domini had asked for this, practically forced it on him.

"I'm okay," she breathed, kissing his lips until he fell beside her. Domini rolled to her side and faced his smile. "Just – overwhelmed for a second," she laughed. All of her fear had dissipated once David had taken her fear and redirected it into ecstasy. Domini could not stand the thought of telling him she had been afraid for even a second. He had already seen her at her weakest that night and Domini wanted to keep David's focus on her as the strong girl he had first been attracted to. "You're amazing," she smiled.

David kissed her lips, looking up at the ceiling and listening to the quiet above it. "I think Marko and Sable are upstairs," he smiled.

"I can't tell you what it means to me to know that Marko makes her so happy," she smiled. "We're lucky girls," Domini beamed.

He smirked, knowing that Sable was seeing it very differently just then. "Trust me, sugar. _We're_ the lucky ones. You can bet money on that," he smirked. "Let me get you a drink. All that moaning had to have hurt your throat," he grinned. The truth was, David was the thirsty one.

He dressed quickly and closed the door on Domini's smile, knowing she thought it was for her modesty. He escaped up the stairs quietly, ensuring Domini would not hear him.

David marched through the back stairwell and pushed through the door to find Sable locked in his sights. Paul moved out of his way while Marko and Dwayne flanked her sides. David snarled an unintelligible remark of fury with the boys when he saw her blood but the sight and scent of her forced him to rush forward and pushed her legs apart. He sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her thigh, his cheek resting over her heated folds. David gripped her thigh tighter, squeezing the blood to his mouth as Sable cried.

David drank deep, swirling his tongue over the pierced flesh, his saliva already starting to heal her wounds. He moved over her naked form, watching her writhe beneath his hands as he suckled each bite mark that bled her body.

Marko turned her tired eyes to his. _I'm gonna' take this out now_, he nodded to her gag. _But you will not scream_, he warned.

Sable's jaws ached but she was relieved that she could breathe and the worst was over. She looked up at the man overtop of her. "Please, Max. Just let me go," she whimpered with exhaustion, slipping into the depths of a dream where Max did not exist.

David's eyes glowed with fury. He shot a glare to Marko. "One job, Marko. You had one fucking job. _Remove_ that name on these girls' lips," he growled. "What the fuck is going on?"

Marko was going to keep his thoughts quiet, not wanting to confuse Sable any more than she already was. She was resting but she was listening. It was easy to undo everything they did to her though so he did not bother keeping quiet for her sake.

"An inventive push," Marko grinned with pride, nodding to Paul. "She thinks she's in a nightmare. _Max's_ nightmare. And every time she sees him she's going to remember it. I don't think you'll have to worry about her loyalty anymore."

"And yours?" he asked darkly. "Where does _your_ loyalty lie?"

He wondered if he had misheard the question as the answer was so blatantly clear. Marko cocked his head to the side, observing David and wishing he could get a step ahead of him to find where he was going with that loaded question on his pursed lips. "With you, David," he whispered.

David kept his stare fixated on him. "And Max? Where does he fit in?" When Marko did not answer, and his brothers remained silent, David frowned. "He is still my Sire – and yours," David reminded them. "Without Max, we'd all be dust by now."

"We've always pushed our limits," Paul insisted, knowing that David had consistently been the driving force behind their rebellion.

He nodded. "Pushed, tested, _yes_. We can load the scales but we can never tip them," David glared; making sure his message was received loud and clear. "There must be balance. If we're going to win, and we _are_," David added, "we will do it without tearing this family apart." His voice started out slow, rising into an angry roar, "It's a game but _there_ – _are_ – _rules_!" The low growl seeped from his throat, "It's not _enough_ for us to win. I want Max to know he's been _beaten_! It's the only way he'll let us have them."

Dwayne became the voice of reason amongst the fury and confusion. "Tell us, David...is Max allowing us to have them or are we taking them?"

It was a fair question and one that warranted an honest answer. "Both," he whispered. "Control her body but _do_ not poison her mind. There will be no more taste testing on this girl from here on out either," David growled, her blood still fresh on his tongue as he said it. "Fuck her sideways if you want, I don't much care. But if she starts losing blood she'll be too weak to push and I won't have that. Max won't stand for bleeding her before we've won the bet," he reminded them. "I'm too close to getting Domini where I want her and I still need this girl."

He gripped Sable's chin, waking her just enough so he could stare down at Sable's blank and yet confused eyes as he pushed his thoughts right through them. _This nightmare did not happen. You slept a dreamless sleep and there was nothing more to it. There was no Max and there is no fear. You see him as you have all along and your opinion has not changed. Max is whatever you make of him._ David's voice extracted the terrible memory with fine precision, a scalpel amputating the images and splicing them from her brain. He let her tired eyes close on the repaired thoughts in her mind.

David turned his brothers. "Let's go boys. Marko needs to wake his sleeping beauty so she can eat something and feed that bruised brain of hers."

Marko waited for them to leave and pushed her to dress herself as he watched, making sure every bite had healed from David's saliva. David was older than all of them and it was easier for him to heal what they had broken.

He told Sable to lie down beside him. _Forget everything and everyone you heard talking out loud around you. That's all gone away. It never happened. _

It was as easy as hollowing out a pumpkin, scraping the pulp away from its skull. Marko could carve her any way he wanted and Sable would light up from behind whatever mask he chose for her. He could make her happy or sad, knowing that one day, he would make her terrifying. They were having such fun with Sable, breaking her in. It was like hazing her for their fraternity. One day she would be one of them and join their ranks. Until then, she was a prop in their play and they would push her to limits Sable did not know she could endure.

_When I count to three, you're going to wake up and remember nothing from this night except sleeping soundly. One...two...three_.

Sable shot upright with a scream. She felt arms grab hold of her and she began to fight with what little strength she had. "No! No!" she shrieked.

"Hey, it's me! Look at me, it's Marko," he called to her, watching her eyes shift from what she was still seeing in her dream to his worried face. This was not supposed to happen!

She had tears streaming down her cheeks and she was trembling all over. It was true, Marko was the only one in the room but she still checked to make sure. They were alone and she had somehow found her way out of that nightmare, finally.

Sable could not even muster the words to explain how afraid she was. She grabbed hold of Marko and held on with weakened arms as she cried. Marko held her so tightly and his strong arms assured her that she was safe and it was all just a horrible nightmare. Sable was not ready to let go of him. She made herself smaller in his arms, tucking herself against him and letting Marko protect her.

"What's wrong?" he begged.

Sable shook her head, unsure of where to begin. "An awful nightmare," was all she could muster.

Marko narrowed his eyes, wanting to know if it was about Max. She should not have remembered anything and Sable should have thought she slept soundly. "You still haven't eaten," he sighed, rocking her in his arms. "It's no wonder your mind is running rampant with nightmares. We need to get you some food." He hoped that was all it was.

She shook her head, not ready for him to move even an inch away from her. Sable did not want to be alone with her thoughts anymore.

"What happened?" he asked. "What was it about?"

Sable continued to sob. It took her a while but she was finally able to move back from Marko far enough to see the concern on his face. "It was Max - and it was horrible," she cried. "It was so real! Marko, I know it was just a nightmare, but I feel like it was trying to tell me something."

Panic flooded through him. It was not possible! "That's usually what dreams do," he nodded. Maybe she recalled Max but not the images they associated with him. "What happened in the dream? What do you think it meant?"

She sighed, not wanting to read into her nightmare. Her head ached like never before. Maybe it was the hunger and her nightmare-induced anxiety. She felt like her brain had been ripped in two. She was rocked by the nightmare but torn toward her need for Marko and the boys to protect her. She was still shaking but she wanted to run out into the night and ride recklessly with the people who made her feel safe. She was all jumbled up and she did not know where to start. Sable settled for answering Marko's question.

"I don't know. But I don't think Max is what Domini thinks. I don't want her around him, Marko. You have to help me," she begged, holding her head. "All of you. We need to..." Sable stood up, trailed off, and watched the room spin. Then it all went dark.

He grabbed Sable just before her crumpling body hit the floor. "Sable? Sable!" Marko shouted, smacking her cheeks and trying to revive her. Five minutes passed and he was ready to call for David when she began to slowly come to. "Sable?" he whispered.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around.

"We're upstairs," Marko said, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I think you passed out - from hunger."

She shook her head, sitting up and blinking her eyes until she could see straight. "Funny, I don't feel hungry," she whispered, her headache gone and her thoughts dulled and quiet. Sable stared off into the empty corner of the room. "I don't feel _anything_ at _all_."

Marko watched her with worry. The small smile spreading across her lips did not mirror her blank statement. Maybe they had pushed her too hard; too many voices infiltrating her mind. Maybe she had been too hungry and weak for the insertions they had made in her brain while draining her at the same time. Marko twisted his lip between his teeth, hoping the damage they had done to her was not permanent. They had to keep pushing Sable no matter how much it destroyed her. Marko was sure she would adapt. She would _have_ to.

**_Sable's about to really change this game the boys have been playing. All rules are about to be thrown out and the control is shifting. What's on your mind?_**

**_Cheers, Harley_**


	12. Chapter 12

**~ Chapter 12 ~**

**_Thank you so much for your reviews and private messages! It really helps me when I hear your thoughts and views. And when someone thinks they know where the story is going, I'm elated to post the next chapter that goes in the opposite direction because, if they did not know what was coming, it means that I've done my job. A special thank you to StormySorrow for being my constant compass and dishing the dirt of our stories late into the night, every night. Lol Markolvr, thank you for coming along for the ride and for reading between the lines! Savanna, you always rock and I love your insights! If you make an account, I will respond in depth. To those of you who sent messages and reviews, I'm sorry I haven't gotten to respond the past few days but I will tonight!_**

**_Pour yourself a drink, turn down the lights and lock your doors; don't forget those windows! The boys are about to have to lie in the bed they made. The top of the food chain is not always the top of the world and they can only look down on everyone for so long before it makes them dizzy. I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Marko had gotten Dwayne to bring Sable some food but she had not eaten as much as a human should. It no longer seemed to satisfy her. Marko watched Sable for most of the night before the dawn's sleep finally called to him. He drifted off with Sable still on his mind. For hours he had laid beside her, watching her pupils moving behind her closed lids. Marko hoped she was pretending to sleep, not wanting to worry him while she stayed awake to avoid another nightmare about Max. He knew that was not it though. Sable would have kept him up all night talking and begging him to keep her company, to hold her in case she did fall asleep. What worried Marko was that Sable's body really was asleep, but her mind was wide awake.

Something had happened, changing her from being controlled to losing control of herself. Sable felt wrongly twisted beside him and Marko wished that as she had first awoken, he had called to David when he had the chance. He waited too long and Marko finally fell asleep, knowing Sable was caught in an unnatural in-between beside him.

Rolling to his side, Marko mourned the empty space where he hung at night, when all the blood in his body would rush to his head and keep his brain sharp upon awakening. Sleeping flat on that bed did nothing for his senses as he woke up groggy and unsatisfied by the death sleep he was accustomed to. When they turned Sable, he would burn that bed and every memory of her human existence with it.

Marko opened his eyes to check on Sable and see if she was better than the night before. His eyes narrowed over the wrinkles of the sheet beside him where she had been the last time his eyes had been open and alert. Marko shot up with a jolt, looking around at the empty tomb of a room.

"Sable?" he called out, rushing through the hallway. He met David on the stairs, realizing instantly that Sable was not downstairs with the others when he met the same frantic look in his brother's eyes that Marko was sure was mirrored his own face. "I can't find her," he whispered.

David closed his eyes, turning back over his shoulder. "Spread out, boys!" He glared at Marko. "You better pray to whatever god will have us that she's still in the hotel."

He swallowed hard, backing up and darting down the hallway to the back staircase where he flew up to the second floor, beyond the point of running. Marko threw open each door that could still be pushed since most of them had caved in long ago. If Marko could not open them, there was no way a weakened girl like Sable could manage on her own. Each room was as empty as the last as Marko called to her, hearing his voice echo through every empty room on the floor.

David followed Marko's footsteps along the floor above him, hearing his brother call out in between his own hollers for the missing girl. He was glad that Paul was keeping Domini company, their early riser who had gotten up at only a quarter past four. David had stretched as the slow pull of sleep finally released him. He had found Domini watching him and it unnerved him in a way he was not at all accustomed to. He should have known then that it would not be an ordinary night.

David shook off the memory of one girl and retained his focus on the other. There were only so many places Sable could have gone in the hotel but if she had escaped while they slept, she would have one hell of a lead on them.

Pausing in front of room 313, David waited before opening the door; the only room he hoped was empty. It contained the girls' only worldly possessions in one of its dresser drawers. If Sable had found it, he supposed it would not be the end of the world. They would just make her forget.

He opened the door, finding it just as empty as all of the others. David nodded to himself, a reminder that he would have to return at some point to see what Domini considered sacred enough to carry across the country.

He came upon the last door of the hallway, hoping that Sable was inside. The fourth floor was almost completely caved in and by the fifth, one had to crawl through rubble and debris just to find pockets to breathe. A human could suffocate up there and David had no interest in crawling through the dirt for one of them.

With a slow hand on the door, David gave it a push and let it swing into the room with an eerie creak on its old hinges. He sighed, finding her easily in the dark with his nocturnal vision. Sable sat in the corner by the window, facing the seam of the two walls where they met. She was huddled over and rocking back and forth. It reminded him of Domini's fragile state. David moved so slowly in the darkness that he became one of the shadows.

"Sable?" he asked softly, standing over her and trying to see what she had clutched in her lap. "What the hell are you doing?" he wondered curiously.

She looked up over her shoulder and smiled. "She's mine...and you can't have her, David."

He froze a moment, thinking she was referring to Domini. He crouched beside Sable, trying to peer over her shoulder. "Sable, what've you got there?"

"What's mine," she smiled.

He frowned, losing his patience with that calm smile on her lips he could so easily knock right off of her. David was intrigued though, just enough to keep listening. "And what is yours, Sable?"

She giggled like a child and it echoed in the empty room. Sable held her hands tightly to her treasure, not wanting to share it but so eager to reveal it. She petted the doll softly, combing her fingers over its soft hair before thrusting it into David's face, showing it off.

David stumbled backward, leaning his hand out to steady himself against the wall. "The _fuck_?" he shouted, staring into the hollowed out eyes of the doll. Its porcelain face was cracked down the middle, splitting it through the center all the way down through its dirty smile. What unnerved him more was the red hair matted to its broken head; _Sable's_ red hair, braided into each section of the doll's synthetic blonde strands. "What've you done?" he choked.

Sable's smile was intact, unlike the broken doll's. "I made her like me," she whispered, her smile spreading into a grin. She began to laugh even as the tears streamed down her face, touching the small spot of raw scalp she had torn her hair from. Sable cradled the doll in her arms, rocking it back and forth with her as she hummed a tune no chords had ever played as not a single note followed any natural progression.

David backed away slowly, shaking his head. There were few things in the world that unnerved him. One was being watched in his deep sleep when he was at his most vulnerable and Domini had started his night off with immediate unease. Another alarming disturbance to David was the insanity of humans. They were a rare breed, more unpredictable than any of them, and beheld a darkness that even David would not venture near.

Marko burst into the room from behind him, relieved to find them together. One look at David's nervous face had him on the floor beside Sable in one foul swoop. "What the hell did you do to her?" he shouted.

He shook his head slowly, unable to take his eyes off Sable. "I didn't do anything." David whispered, "_Your_ hell did this to _her_."

Looking back to her, Marko focused on the doll in her arms, reaching out with trembling fingers to touch the fiery red hair that clung to his hand, even as he withdrew it. It was moist and hung from his fingers like thick tinsel. Marko shook it off and rubbed his hands along his thighs, trying to remove its feel.

Sable giggled softly, picking up the long wisps. She placed the gathered tips to her tongue and stuck them back on the doll's head, making them stick to the bare spot he had left. "You're all better now," Sable smiled. "I fixed you like new again."

Marko jumped up and backed away until he was shoulder to shoulder with David. "How?" he whispered, unable to muster anything else.

The two of them stood behind Sable, staring down at her for the longest time before David finally spoke, if for no other reason than drown out her incessant humming. "Just how many of you pushed her last night?"

"We _all_ did," he stared.

David frowned, looking over the shattered girl with her broken doll. "In how _many_ directions?"

Marko closed his eyes, regretting not calling David sooner. Maybe he could have done something, pieced her back together before the splitting paths of her mind had become grooves imbedded in her brain. They had filled her mind with so many different voices that her own was lost.

He whispered with a begging plea, watching what was supposed to be his, slipping farther away with each passing second. "Fix her, David. Please."

David turned to him finally with bewildered eyes. "What the hell makes you think _I_ can?"

He bowed his head before his brother with a solemn face before looking back up from under his guilty brow. "Because that's what you do."

For centuries, David had taken care of Marko like the boy was his own. He had taken him under his wing and protected him, teaching him. Marko was his first protégé and David would always hold him in the highest regard above even the others because he had been with him the longest. Looking into Marko's respectful eyes, he knew that he had to do something. But what?

David's first instinct was to run to his father, beg his forgiveness and present him with the mess they had made. Max could not clean up their destruction that night though. It was not even because of their ongoing bet. It was because if he did, Sable would wake to the forced memory of fearing him and Max would know they had cheated. Their father enjoyed sparring with his children even though he would never admit it. Max admired their wild will and he envied that part of them. But he would not stand for their own deceit against him. Betrayal against his own blood would never be tolerated. The boys had danced a fine line over the years but they had never crossed it to the point of dividing the family. For the first time, David wished he could step backward. It was his only experience of regret.

_Dwayne_, he called softly in his mind, finding his inner voice more strongly the second time he called. _Dwayne!_

Rushing up the stairs, his brother came to his aid without question. "What's happened?" he asked in a frantic fury, unsure if his call to duty was to fight or rescue. One look at Sable and his mission was clear. He waited on David's order anyway.

"Can you do something for her?" David whispered.

He watched the remains of the girl before them, assessing the gravity of the situation. "I don't know yet. How much time have I got?"

Marko closed his eyes. "How much time does _she_ have?"

Dwayne shook his head. "I honestly don't know."

"You've only got a few hours," David frowned, looking out at the early rise of the moon. "Max will expect her at nine."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Bring me my trunk," he said, accepting his duty.

The boys knew exactly what Dwayne was referring to. The old trunk was the only thing their brother had kept from his mortal days. Each of them had held onto something, a remembrance of who they had been when their soul had still been a part of them, before it had become a shadow that trailed behind them, disappearing in the darkness each night.

"I'll get it," Marko offered quietly, slipping away and preferring to fetch the old trunk rather than stay in that empty room one minute longer with the girl they had hollowed out.

He returned five minutes later, his brothers still in the same spot where he had abandoned them; Sable holding her doll, abandoning everything.

Dwayne kept his eyes on Sable. "Leave," he said softly.

It was not an order and David respected his plea. "Come on, Marko," he nodded, slinging his arm around his brother's neck and pulling him toward the door he closed behind them.

Looking down at the battered trunk, Dwayne knelt before it, closing his eyes. He flipped the latches on either side of the lock that had not worked in nearly a hundred years. There was no need for it. No brother trespassed against another when it came to their solitary life before it became their shared death.

As he lifted the top of the case, Dwayne was overcome with the myriad of earthy scents that ambushed his thoughts, flooding him with memories. The rich smell of the Reservation invaded Dwayne's senses; his mother's pale hair, his father's dark skin, every fire-lit ceremony of natural magic that was passed down to him resurfacing in his blood and bones.

He spread the soft consecrated soil in a circle over the hardwood floor, leaving an opening behind the girl with her back to him. Dwayne poured sand in small piles at each of the four corners of the room and placed a white candle over them, lighting each one from the last until he returned the fire to the first flame again. He removed the sage smudge stick, lighting its frayed edges and blowing out the fire until thick tufts of smoke poured from the small source. Dwayne walked the outer edges of the circle in a counterclockwise trance until he reached the opening again and stepped inside, continuing his method. He did not see Sable anymore, and she did not seem to notice him either.

He poured a pile of sand in the center of the circle, placing the rocks over it in a pyramid, cedar at its heart for Sable's cleansing and reunion with harmony. Dwayne nestled the remaining candles around it, purple for his request of mysticism's presence, white for Sable's purification, green for the girl's healing. He left the circle and lit it from the very first candle in the North corner of the room, guiding its flame to the center again.

Dwayne stood in the circle, feeling the warmth of the lit room. He inhaled the scents and let them fill his breathless lungs. Turning to her, Dwayne called with firm but gentle tone. "Sable, join me." It was not a push or an order or a plea. It was a request made with the respect that had been instilled in him long before he turned his back on nature and broke its laws by dominating it.

Sable turned around slowly, meeting Dwayne's solemn eyes. She set down the doll with a curious cock of her head, rising up and moving toward him.

Spilling the last of the soil and closing the circle, Dwayne sat her down on the other side of the centered alter. He sat down opposite her and closed his eyes, letting his senses take over. When Dwayne opened his eyes again, he could feel the earth beneath him where the wood had once been. He saw the candles burn bright into a single fire between them, a view of the open reservation taking down the walls around them. Watching the sage smoke rise up to the heavens, Dwayne knew it would not carry his prayers to their ears. Perhaps, they would listen to Sable's though. It was his duty to honor the call of a lost soul, despite all the whole ones he had claimed.

Downstairs, Domini sighed, wishing the old cave had a clock. "How long am I supposed to let her sleep?" she groaned, worried about being late to work.

David shrugged, wishing he had slept longer. "She'll be down soon. Marko's with her," he smiled, knowing his brother must be bored out of his mind in the room upstairs by himself. Paul had already left to feed, unable to sit still any longer. They all needed to be patient while Dwayne petitioned whatever magic his bloodline possessed on Sable's behalf. "Why don't you and I go for a walk?" he offered, wanting to get her out of the cave in case the ceremony did not work.

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving without her this time."

He nodded. "I know that. She'll come down soon." David could see Domini was not going to budge. "Or we could sit here and talk about what happened last night," he mused.

A chill ran through her. If it was up to her, Domini would never tell David about her past or how crippled it could still make her.

"A walk would be nice," she smiled nervously. "But how will we know when Sable's awake?"

_When her hair is back on her head and not on that damned doll_, he thought with a shudder.

"Marko will come get us. We won't go far," he promised. "We'll just get some air." David had never felt so stifled by the air in that cave. "Come on, princess."

Domini took his hand and followed David out of the cave and into the night. She would follow him anywhere, knowing that David would protect her wherever they went.

Stepping out into the hallway, Dwayne almost ran into Marko. He closed the door and looked at his nervous brother, biting his nails, shifting his weight back and forth between feet that could no longer pace.

Dwayne could barely stand himself. It had taken everything out of him to bring Sable back and he felt cursed even more for asking nature to help him when he was so unnatural. Dwayne supposed the gods had not done it for him though. They had done it for Sable.

He sighed and nodded.

"She'll make it?" Marko asked. He had been trying to figure out if he was actually worried about Sable or just about having her fit enough to pass Max's inspection. He truly felt that Sable was meant to be one of them, in a way that he had not believed until that night. Marko had been interrupted by his brother before he could come to a conclusion and he abandoned his questions for any answer he could get. "She's alright?"

"I wouldn't go that far," Dwayne frowned. "We did a number on her; all of us. She's intact – for now. But consider it like butterfly stitches on her brain. They won't hold for long. The holes we made will bleed through and that crazy _will_ come back, Marko," he warned him.

Marko shrugged, forcing Dwayne to confirm his relief. "But she'll pass?"

Dwayne frowned, "Pass for what - sane, normal?" He shrugged, leaning back against the door. "Let's just settle on she'll pass for..._now_." He eyed Marko, cautioning him. "You'd better turn her soon though."

He swallowed hard, understanding the gravity of what Dwayne meant. Too much longer and Marko would be spending an eternity with a bald banshee they would have to put down. They had never done that before. One of their own had sought their second and final death but it was a single time in their history, and Marko could still see the scars Tara had left behind every time it was quiet enough for Dwayne's mind to wander. They did not talk about her anymore. Sometimes Marko wondered if it was because it was too painful for Dwayne who had cared for her, or too infuriating for David who had been powerless to stop her.

Nodding, Marko moved past his brother toward the door. "I'll talk to David."

As soon as Marko's hand touched the knob, Dwayne left him with one last warning. "Talk _fast_, man."

On the beach, Domini stood under the moonlight with David's arms wrapped around her waist as they stared out at the ocean. It was a comfortable silence that felt natural. She wished she did not have to go to work that night but Domini was grateful that Sable was going to go with her. She had missed her friend those past few days and was looking forward to having Sable back by her side.

A strong push almost knocked the two over as Sable laughed and spun around to dance the breach between the ocean and her friends. "Isn't it the most amazing night?" Sable shouted with exuberance. "I swear it's like the moon is always full here and you can just feel it pulling you," she gushed, tucking her arms to her chest and then spreading them out to the sky.

Marko shrugged as David looked back at him with a furrowed brow. "She's feeling better," he tried to smile.

"Wow," Domini laughed. "I guess some dinner and a good night's sleep really recharged you."

Sable grabbed her hands and spun Domini with her. "I feel like a new person! The moon isn't just bright, it's beaming! Every detail in the sand is shining! I feel like everything is new, not just me," she laughed.

Domini was swept away by Sable's exhilaration. "And does this new you want to go to work tonight?"

"Let's go!" Sable smiled, pulling her friend toward the motorcycles and waving the boys behind her.

Hanging back, David walked beside Marko. "Two and a half hours ago that girl could have easily been mistaken for an escaped mental patient. Now she's marveling at the moon instead of howling at it and she's downright manic. What the hell did Dwayne do up there?"

"I don't know," Marko admitted. "Some kind of magic you and I will probably never be capable of understanding."

David nodded with a laugh. "You're right about that."

Their long strides over the sand began to slow and Marko realized he was stalling the inevitable. "Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Never a good start," David frowned, listening intently as his brother relayed more information on Sable's temporary well-being and her retention of Paul's original push.

By the time they reached the bikes, David was rigid with apprehension. He only hoped that Sable could keep up her charade a little longer. With no store to work at that night, she would not have to hold out for long. Marko had assured him that he could convince Sable to turn before the sun rose the next day. David had his doubts, but his brother shared his talent for being incredibly persuasive. He believed in Marko and knew he would find a way. It was up to David to get Max to grant him permission. That would be a far more daunting task.

They rode up onto the Boardwalk, taking their time getting to the store since there was no real hurry. The store would not be packed with customers. There would be no room for them with all of the glass and broken shelving. There were no tapes left to rent and no register to ring them up at. David had been looking forward to the look on Max's face up until a few hours before. Just then though, he felt like a boy going home after school with the answers to a test still written on his arm. It was possible that Max would see right through them all. He always had before.

"Oh my God," Domini gasped, itching to jump from David's motorcycle even before he could slow to a stop. She climbed down without aid, rushing through the crowd toward the opening where the window once was. "Max?" Domini shouted, guiding her way through the hanging wires from the track lights that hung down like jungle vines.

Sable stared at the wreckage ahead. Her face was laced with concern until a smile slowly spread. "Does this mean I don't have to work?" she asked Marko.

He laughed and nodded. "I'd say your off the hook."

"Yes!" she grinned, following after Domini.

David turned to Marko, staying on the saddle of his bike and lighting a smoke. "Sable didn't look scared to me."

He shrugged. "Maybe Dwayne's capable of more than we've given him credit for."

Nodding, David had to agree. "It's always the quiet ones," he grinned. "Still waters run deep."

Marko watched Sable call out to Domini, waving her arms for the girl to wait for her like they were going to a party. How shallow had they made Sable's soul for it to make such noise? Where were her still waters and what had they drowned in them?

He eyed her as she leapt over the window frame and ground her boot into the crushed glass as she used it to aid in her spin on her toe. She disappeared inside and Marko wondered if he had just delivered Sable straight into the lion's den.

Domini rushed past Maria as the girl finally finished clearing one corner of the store. "Oh Max," Domini whispered, finding him in the ruins of what had once been the sanctuary of his office. "What happened?"

He shook his head, at a loss for words for once. Max felt as broken as his store. He had invested so much into that little piece of property amongst the large scale he had built from the Boardwalk up. Hundreds of years, millions of dollars and endless hours of masquerading as an average person, all ripped away and destroyed.

"You tell me," he whispered.

Domini stared back at him in ghastly awe. "You can't possibly think I had anything to do with this."

Maria looked up from the back of the store and stopped sweeping up the glass.

Max bowed his head with solemn awareness. "No, of course not."

"Then what?" she begged, rushing to his side as Sable lingered in the doorway.

He looked up at her with defeated eyes, holding the empty binding of one of his books. "Not what, but who?"

David stood in the window frame of the store, unwilling to trespass as he had the night before. He blew a stream of smoke inside and watched the broken pieces of mirror reflecting the swirl above it.

Max was on his feet in an instant, following the scent of smoke and fear straight to his childe. "You son of a bitch!" he roared, gliding over the glass.

"Have you found us a mother we're not aware of?" David grinned.

Max snarled, "How could you do this to me?"

"Careful," David raised a brow and a smile, reminding him that Domini and Sable were running up behind him.

Too furious to care, Max did not hold back very much at all. "You wretched punk!" he spat.

David shook his head, leaning against the frame of the window. "I'm insolent, Max, not insane. I wouldn't do this to you. I don't care enough to go to the trouble."

"The hell you don't," he growled.

Domini staked her claim over the narrow space between them, holding her hands out, one on each of the men she had come to care about. "Please don't do this, Max. David had nothing to do with it. He was with me all last night."

"Every second?" he scoffed, knowing how manipulative he was and how fast David worked.

"Yes!" she insisted, grateful that David was standing down and not an incendiary piece of the fire brewing faster than she could contain it. "He wouldn't do this, Max."

"Wouldn't and couldn't are two entirely different things, my dear," Max warned her.

Domini shook her head, defending David. "He would never do this and he physically _couldn't_ have done it. We were together all night."

David was quick to agree with a smirk, "_All_ night." He wrapped his arm around Domini's waist and pulled her backward against him. He appreciated Domini's loyalty and he would reward her for her efforts later on. She was proving to be a better companion with each passing night.

Max looked away in disgust, his eyes scanning over the debris and the looks of pity from the dispersing crowd. "Tell me who would do such a thing then!" he shouted to no one in particular anymore.

Sable shuddered at the sound of Max's raised voice. There was darkness in his tone and in her mind a glimpse flashed of the absent memory of a dream...the nightmare she had had and then forgotten. Sable could not put her finger on it as it lingered right on the tip of her memory but would not take hold with any particular image or clear vision. The feeling remained though and it had Sable in a state of unease; the instinctual fear of a doe that could not see the wolf, but knew it was near.

Domini stared out over the Boardwalk as the people slowly scattered into the night toward the rides. She could see the giant letters painted on the wood and pulled away from David's arm to read them. Domini had to stand at the edge of the Boardwalk just to read them clearly. She looked back to Max, her sad eyes reaching for him.

"What is it?" Max asked, running toward her.

She swallowed hard, wishing he had realized it on his own so she would not have to be the one to tell him that Max had brought it on himself, unintentionally. "The guy in the store last night," she said softly. "The one who was fighting with his girlfriend," she reminded him, hoping he would put the rest together.

Max sighed, holding his head. "Yes, of course."

"What guy?" Sable asked, taking her place beside Domini as if they needed a united front.

She frowned. "There was a guy who came in last night, just before we closed up early. He started some trouble and Max ran him off."

"_And_?" David asked, raising a curious brow as he and Marko approached them, each consuming the space behind their girls.

Max frowned, looking back at the words he could still hear in his head. "The last thing he said was 'mind your own business'." Max would make sure to find that boy and rip out his vocal chords.

David could not believe it. It was all so perfect! Sometimes David wondered if Fate was on his side, aiding and abetting the cruel things he did, wanting him to succeed if for no other reason than to keep balance in the world.

Raising his grimace to meet David's grin, Max nodded. "I owe you an apology, son."

"Not at all necessary," David smiled, ignoring the truth in the name Max had just called him. He knew Domini would chalk it up to the man's character and integrity. "But I'll accept your approval," he taunted.

Max was in no mood for David's nonsense. Domini's defensive nature for David was hardly proof that she had chosen him. The game was still in play and he would not concede so soon.

"I have some salvaging to do," Max sighed. "Can I count on you two to help?" he asked the girls.

"You can always count on us, Max," Domini consoled him, a step toward him and away from David.

Max smiled. "I knew I could."

Sable frowned, wishing she had signed a job description to pull out and show that construction work was not in her list of duties. She did not want to clean up Max's store any more than she wanted to be in that small space with him. Sable could not leave Domini alone with Max though. It did not matter that she had no reasoning behind her fear. It was there just the same. Her gut told her that something about Max was not right and it was up to her to stay by Domini's side.

"We'll do what we can," she nodded, not committing to any particular promise of delivered results.

Marko was not about to leave Sable alone with Max. She was doing alright on her own but Dwayne's warning was fresh on his mind. He did not know how much time they had and Max was not giving an inch. He had to win him over and obtain permission to turn Sable, even if she was the only one allowed to be taken out of the game. Marko had no doubt that David would win his own favor. Sable, however, was running out of time.

"We'll give ya' a hand," Marko offered.

Max watched him closely. "We'll be fine."

David smiled. "You'd rather put three girls to hard labor than have two strong men spare them the exertion?" He shook his head, tossing his cigarette to the sand below. "I thought you were a better man than that."

Feeling Domini's eyes question him, Max had no choice but to agree. "I appreciate your help, young man. Thank you."

Sable slipped her hand into Marko's, grateful that he and David were keeping close. There was safety in numbers with those two around and she was relieved that Domini would not be in danger with them there.

They worked together in pairs, the girls sweeping up the glass while the men lifted the broken boards and hauled them out. Marko and David returned from the back of the store to find Sable crouched on the floor over the glass, holding the broken dog's head from the statue that had once sat like a guard by the door.

Marko cast a worried glance to David who was having an awkward flashback to the doll she had thrust in his face with such insane vigor.

He made his way over to her, putting his hand on Sable's shoulder. "Are you alright?" Marko asked nervously.

She nodded, gently placing the broken piece into the pile of trash and stood up beside him. "I just really loved that dog," she shrugged.

Marko laughed, glad she was just being nostalgic instead of crazy. "Right, that one night you worked when you bonded," he snickered.

Sable turned her offended eyes to Marko. "What could you possibly know about his loyalty to me?" She frowned. "He was my friend, Marko. Have a little respect for the dead." She shook her head and walked away to mourn in private.

Placing his hands to his head, Marko looked to David with exasperation. "Dude," he frowned, throwing up his hands.

David nodded, knowing it was time to go find Max and have a talk with him. He only had to turn around to find his Sire standing right behind him. Max had heard everything and David had a lot of explaining to do. The question was, how much would he reveal to get what he wanted without risking losing what he needed?

**_Poor, poor Sable. Finally some Dwayne time though! Even if he still had few lines. Lol Later on he will have tons of dialogue but he bides his time, waiting for the important moments to share his thoughts. I know that some of you have viewed Sable as being shared by the boys and I hope this chapter, and those to follow, will shed a little bit of light on that topic. As sane people, we can see the boys as forcing Sable into all of these things. As soulless sociopaths, the boys don't share our empathy. They see it as nothing more than hazing the human and breaking her in so that Sable will know her place in their pack. The problem is, as you can now see, you can only bend something back and forth for so long before it breaks. Sable is an integral part in David's plan to get Domini so they need her, in whatever state she may be in. But in a world where some are immortal, others are temporary and nothing else lasts forever. The next three chapters will reveal a lot as to the next twist and turn this story will take. I hope you enjoy them! Cheers, Harley_**


	13. Chapter 13

**~ Chapter 13 ~**

**_I am always happy to take "beautifully brutal" as a high compliment. Thank you! Savannah, I love that you're Team Sable all the way. She's so much fun to write and I'm glad that you laughed at parts. Some parts ARE designed to be funny and it's important to have moments of comic relief in a story this dark. So thank you very much! I'm stoked you're enjoying it! Markolvr, we've discussed things already through PM so hopefully you're resting assured that Dwayne's story will come out in due time. I'm excited that you picked up on it and kept it with you through the chapters! I love Dwayne; still waters run deep. Paul has many funny moments to come and so does Marko, especially in this chapter. But it's not all fun and games. I hope I've proven that so far. Don't get too comfortable. There is always a storm brewing in the distance. Thank you all so very, very much! Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Max had known that something was off about Sable. He had not spent much time with the girl but he had caught her scent and tracked it before her feet touched down on the Boardwalk that night. She smelled different; her mind fresher, her soul turning stale. And then there was Marko's scent across every inch of her, David's flavor over her repaired skin, the hint of incense and sage lingering in her hair. It was a sharp contrast to the first time Sable had stood before him, a mixture of sweet and salty scents permeating the air around her. She had become a muddled mess of aromas, few of which were still her own.

He continued to listen as David revealed the source of each scent, listing them off in order of attack like a General reminiscing over battle wounds the enemy had received; part pride, part confession.

Max shook his head, the disappointment in his eyes speaking volumes. "How could you, David? How could you be so reckless and crass?"

"This wasn't supposed to happen," David offered, as if that meant something.

"No?" Max asked, pacing the lot behind the store. "Tell me, son. What did you think would happen?"

Max's alpha growl reclaimed his hierarchy as he defined his position, causing David to back up and bow his head in shamed respect. There was no need for Max to yell; his guttural snarl was deafening in David's ears.

"You destroyed her free will, amputated her memory and upset the natural balance of her humanity! Did you think there would not be consequences for playing God with a mortal girl?"

David shook his head but kept it down. "No, I didn't. None of us did."

"Why?" Max demanded.

He raised only his eyes; his chin still tucked low to his chest. "Because you _made_ us gods."

"You foolish boy," Max snapped before a slow smile spread across his lips. "You were a demon long before your turn. I only harnessed the beast I saw before me." Max put a firm hand on his childe's shoulder. "And I've never tried to tame you, David. Never once have I asked you to reel it in unless it served the purpose of protecting our family secret. You've gone too far this time," he frowned. "And I've half a mind to let you burn for it in the hell you've created."

David's hands balled into fists deep in the pockets of his trench coat. He looked up at his Sire with pleading eyes, hoping to avoid that punishment Max was only hinting at so far. "And the other half?"

Taking a step back, Max looked up at the sky, gathering his strength. "May just be willing to pardon you into purgatory."

Unsure of what that truly entailed, David was hopeful and willing to take any help Max would offer. He knew it would come at a price though. "Why would you do that?" he asked.

"Because it is my duty – and you are my son," Max said firmly with a delicate smile. Max's lips drew downward. "I've no desire to watch my children suffer. It is one of the many vast differences between you and I."

That just was not true in David's mind. He had never wanted Sable to suffer; not like she had that night. He had only meant to make her learn her place; _earn_ her spot. His desire was to control her body and the pain inside it, not inflict suffering upon her forever. All they had done to Sable had been temporary at the time. They had weakened her into a pliable component for their pack.

"Everything we did was just in fun," David tried to explain.

"Fun for whom?" Max laughed. "To sire is not to dominate, as I continue to try to teach you – unsuccessfully I might add. To sire is to let go and allow what is determined to grow, flourish. You've no intention of raising these girls, David. You only wish to push them down and have them reside at your feet. You don't want to sire Domini; you want her to be your pet. And you've raised Marko under your own shrewd roof to be the same. You don't believe in family, only power."

"I believe in _our_ family," he insisted.

Max frowned, knowing better. "You believe in _yourself_." He shook his head and looked down to David's eyes. "You are not at all ready for the responsibility of being a Sire and neither is Marko. This was never a game, David, because you were never going to win. You were bound to destroy yourselves and I bided my time, knowing that you would eventually come to me as you have, your tail between your legs, begging for my help. And here we are. I've humored your desires long enough, David. It is time I turn her before there is nothing left of her you'll want."

David's growl stuck in his throat. "Max, please. No. Let Marko do this," he pleaded. "He has _groomed_ her for this moment. Don't take that away from him."

"From him - or from you?" Max asked, seeing right through him. "Tell me, my boy – why are you so eager to allow your brother a childe of his own? Why did you petition me for both girls instead of just the one you want?"

He licked his lips, considering it for the first time. "Because...it's what _he_ wants."

"And when did it begin to matter to you what any of the others wanted unless they shared your goal?" Max smiled, shaking his head slowly. "No, you're offering a consolation prize to the highest bidder in your pack. She's a two-bit kewpie doll in a rigged game of sleight of hand, just like the old days," he grinned.

David denied it, even as he wondered if it were true. "No, I've promised them that I would share Domini. She'll belong to me, but she'll serve us all."

"It would not be the first promise you've ever broken," Max reminded him. "You're a showman, David. You always have been. But you're showing your hand now." Max snarled, "Don't you _dare_ lie to _me_, boy."

"And what's wrong with wanting something of my own?" he shouted, curbing his fury as soon as it ran away from him. David softened his whole demeanor. "Why can't I keep something for myself?" he asked. "I share everything with them, gladly, but I can't give them what she can; comfort. I've been in the dark for centuries, Max. Domini is darkness _and_ light." His voice had become a whisper, his secret escaping with raw reveal. "I want her to be my shadow."

Max would have laughed if he had thought it would not destroy David's momentary vulnerability. "You want her to be your _soul_."

David sighed with a soft plea. "And why not?"

With one quiet phrase, Max gently put David back in his place. "Because you're unworthy of it."

David hung his head, cradling it in his hands. He felt Max pull him in and, as much as he loathed the comfort, David did not deny it. "She's the one, Max. I know it," he insisted. "I can feel it in the marrow of my bones. Death didn't want her but I do! She's the only girl strong enough to withstand what I am, and stay by me despite it."

"They are the wrong reasons," Max explained, taking a step back and forcing David to stand on his own again; his only support coming in advice. "I sired you to offer you something I knew you would embrace. Your need to sire her is to bind her to you. It is selfish - and it is intolerable."

David collected himself, shaking his head and refusing to give in. While he had absolutely no care for the human he had spent so much time with, David had very deep feelings for Domini's potential as a vampire under his wing. "On my arm, this girl could rule the world with me." He stared up at Max, wishing he could understand. "I _am_ ready and so is she. It's no different than you wanting another childe."

"You know nothing of the dedication of raising a childe on your own," Max scoffed. "You'll grow bored of the responsibility and turn her out as a bastard. I won't allow that, David."

"_I'm_ the one who raised those boys!" David snarled. "They come to _me_ when they need, not you. _You_ are our obligation but _I_ am their inspiration! I _will_ provide for Domini _and_ for Sable because they will be _ours_. That is what family is for! I can take those girls with or without your permission just as I claimed my boys from you!"

He was not at all offended by David's tone because his words were the empty threats of desperation. "I'm extending my family and continuing my bloodline," Max corrected him with a condescending smile. "You're just playing house, David."

"_Fuck you_," David growled, stepping forward and meeting his eye head-on.

Max did not falter. "You're a step-father because I've _given_ you guardianship, David. Don't make me take them back into my custody," he warned.

The boys were the only thing in the world that had mattered to David since he had turned all those years ago. He had hand-picked each one of them, delivering them to Max to turn. David had asked for so little over the years and Max was right when he had said it was because David took what he wanted. The boys feared Max but they revered David. He trusted them with his eternal life. They would not betray him. He would not abandon them.

"What do you want from me?" David asked, biting his tongue and being as obedient as he knew how.

The slow smile stretched across Max's lips. "It's time you boys learned a lesson."

"And what's that?" David asked.

"Be careful what you wish for," he grinned.

David eyed him cautiously. "You're going to let Marko turn Sable?"

Max nodded. "I am."

It was such an obvious trap but he could not see the jaw-spring yet, only the bait. "Why would you just throw the challenge like that?"

"I'm not throwing anything. I'm allowing you to get exactly what you think you want and I'm doing it for two reasons." Max's elongated face drew more extended as he frowned. "One, because you've destroyed that poor little girl and before long there won't be anything left of her. As cruel as you've been to her, it would be crueler still _not_ to turn her and give her new focus. You need to replace the power you've stripped Sable of so she can be whole. Although, I must say that I doubt she'll ever truly be right after all you've taken from her. So take her life," Max nodded. "See what comes back."

David knew it was all still the calm before the storm. "And the second reason?"

Max grinned. "Two, because the biggest lesson a parent can learn is how to raise a child who is just like them," he laughed. "You and Sable are both feral, David. When you realize how much work it is to raise a childe, you'll _beg_ me to take Domini off your hands. I won't have to win. You'll concede."

It was hard to hold in his chuckle as David let it rip. "Oh the mad mutterings of an old man," he laughed. "Ask any girl in town, I don't give an inch unless there're eight more behind it and a hot spot to bury 'em. I don't give up, Max. You should know that by now."

"I know that even for an immortal, there is a first time for everything," Max mused. "You're young, David. You've still so much to learn."

He shrugged, resuming his cocky attitude since he had gotten what he wanted. It was the first step toward getting everything he wanted and his vulnerability was no longer warranted as he was put at ease.

"Well I know you can't teach an old dog new tricks. If you ask me, you're jealous and you always have been."

"Jealous of what?" Max asked with a smile, so curious.

"You don't really have much choice but to be a 'family man'," he snickered with arrogant air quotes. "You were older when you were turned and abandoned by your Sire." David ignored the fury in Max's eyes as it simmered slowly to a boil at the mere mention of his true beginning as a newly-turned orphan. "Don't get me wrong, it makes perfect sense that you have a deep-rooted need for a family of your own. It makes perfect sense, for _you_," he grinned. "But for a young buck like me, well," David smirked, "all I have to do is show up to the party and the favors are just thrown at me to take 'em home. I'm not a family man, Max. I'm a hell-raiser...and a collector of fine things."

Max was ready to box the boy's ear but he restrained himself. "You're so impetuous it would be admirable if you had any inkling of what's to happen to you. You're going to change, David. All of you will."

"I can't change, Max. I am the same vicious _fuck_ I was when you met me. Only now, I'm hungrier," he smirked.

Max knew that he could talk until the sun called him to sleep but David would not understand until it was too late. The boys would spend all of their time running after Sable and trying to tame their wild childe. Max would have all the time in the world to spend with Domini while they chased their little piece of tail all over the bluff. Being the mortal girl she was, Domini would turn to Max in David's absence and grow weary and jealous of her friend and the attention she was receiving, not to mention the wedge Sable would drive between them from her change. And when the boys grew tired of the responsibility and wanted to go back to playing every night, David would be the one to come to him with Domini as his peace offering.

"You keep me apprised of how things go with young, Sable," he nodded with a firm order. "My allowance does not change my charge," Max reminded him.

"Of course," David agreed. "You'll feel her turn," he promised. "Your blood runs through Marko's veins, the same as mine. You'll know when it's done."

Max chuckled and shook his head. "I am not referring to her turn. I know how it works," he said with a condescending grin. "I mean what happens afterward. I am still, and will always be, the head of this family. And you'll continue to report to me everything you teach her. I won't have you endangering our secret."

"I understand," David smiled, eager to tell Marko the good news. "We'll be careful, Pops." David clapped Max on the back and headed for the door.

He could not wait to get inside to collect Sable and take her home, where she finally belonged. They would strip away her humanity, her soul and her life, until there was nothing left but the raw carnage that would resurface as an unstoppable force worthy of their company.

David paused by the back door, turning his chin to his shoulder to call back, but not fully face him. "Thank you, Max," he added, slipping inside and calling in his mind to his brother to share the good news.

Marko was elated and chomping at the bit. He had to chew at the leather of his fingerless glove just to hide his excited smirk. He stood beside Sable and Domini while they sorted through video case art they could salvage.

Sharing his brother's link, Marko posed a question that could be an obstacle. _But how are we supposed to get Sable out of here without Domini tagging along? They can't be together when she drinks. They can't really be together for a while. Domini will never go for that. They're joined at the hip._

You let me worry about Domini's hips so you can focus on Sable's. David snickered out loud, pretending to cough as the girls looked back over their shoulders.

"You okay?" Domini asked, carefully stepping around the hanging wires and moving to David's side.

He nodded, coughing again. "Yeah. It's just all this dust."

David looked up to the ceiling where the track lighting hung down, knowing her eyes would follow his. He silently eased his boot against a piece of shelving and slid it behind Domini's feet while Marko distracted Sable.

She frowned at the hole in the ceiling and the dirt and insulation that poured from it. "I don't think any of us should really be breathing this crap in. But I know Max is desperate for our help," she sighed. "Thank you for doing this," Domini smiled, leaning up on her tip toes to kiss him.

"My pleasure," he grinned. "Let's get back to work so we can get outta here and have some real fun."

Domini smiled. "Sounds like a plan." She was anxious to finish up for the night and get back to the cave, clean up and have David's strong arms lift nothing but her for the rest of the night.

She turned around to help Sable finish up but Domini felt something solid stunt her step. She tumbled over it and fell forward, grabbing onto the hanging light as the only thing that could prevent her fall.

David and Marko watched it happen like it was in slow motion. Domini fumbled for the lighting track as it gave way and she took it down with her, knocking the frayed cords into Sable's arm with a sparking singe against the flesh of her arm.

Jumping to Domini's side, David caught her arm just before she hit the ground. He wanted to spare her the pain that Sable had no choice but to endure.

Sable's screams filled the store, echoing out into the night through the broken windows. Unlike all of the other times they had made the poor girl scream, that time, her painful shrieks drew the attention of most everyone on the Boardwalk.

Gripping her arm, Sable howled as her flesh burned from the brush of live wires. The scent of burning flesh filled the room as fast as Sable's screams.

"Oh my God!" Domini shouted, trying to get a look at Sable's arm as the girl thrashed in shock and pain. "Sable, please! You have to let me see!"

Sable could not think straight as her arm burned and oozed something clear that was neither blood nor tissue, both of which were exposed. The pain was horrendous but the only thing she wanted from Domini in that moment was a flood of apologies.

"Get away from me!" Sable shouted, backing into the corner and gripping Marko's arm for stability. "You stupid bitch!" she roared. "Marko, do something!"

He shook his head at Domini, stepping in between them. "Just let me get her to a hospital," he said, knowing they would never allow it. He wanted it to be their decision though so he could not be blamed for refusing her treatment. "They'll help her. She'll be alright."

Domini bit her lip, both overcome with guilt for what she had done and for what she was about to say. "You can't," she trembled as Marko and Sable whipped in her direction. "The hospital will want all of her information. If they find out you..." She suddenly wished she had not said anything. Domini tried to take it back but it was too late.

"Find out what?" Marko asked.

Sable snarled at Domini. The silence was deafening. She knew that Marko would not care what she had done and since Domini was not keeping her secret anymore, Sable might as well put it out in the open. "That I stole the donation money for the kids at the home before we left."

Domini frowned, feeling worse than ever. "You said we needed it," she pleaded, fearing how angry Sable was with her for hurting and exposing her.

"_You_ said we needed it! It was your way of asking for what you couldn't do yourself," Sable spat. "You put it out there because you were too scared and ashamed to do it. But you knew _I'd_ do it," she frowned. "You knew I'd do it for _you_."

Domini shook her head, not wanting to hear any more. None of it mattered. Marko was right. Sable needed to get to a hospital, no matter what complications it brought. "No matter what you did, you need help."

"Oh right, Domini," she snapped. "Blame the girl who needs medical attention for the reason I can't get any!"

She shook her head, backing up into David. "I didn't mean..."

"No, you never do, do you, Domini?" Sable shouted, holding her arm. "You never mean to do anything you do! You just can't stand to see me happy!"

At a complete loss as to what Sable was talking about, Domini continued to try to understand. "Why wouldn't I want you to be happy?"

"Because you're so fucking desperate to have a perfect fucking life! Well now you've got it, don't you, Dom?" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You've got a crappy job and a daddy to look after you and a hot guy to fuck at the end of a hard day's work!"

"_What_?" Domini yelled, her voice rising with her anger. It was so ludicrous she did not want to even respond but Domini could not resist the fight when she was under attack. "What the _hell_ are you talking about, Sable? You're out of your fucking mind!"

The girl was not done yet. "Who's mind is it? Huh? Is it even mine?" she shouted.

Marko looked at David, both of them backing away as Sable's craziness crept out.

Sable was hysterical, her adrenaline pumping from the pain as it turned to fury. "_You_ wanted me to come here and you burned me! You did it on purpose! You're the one behind everything that's gone wrong! I'm not your puppet!" Sable was sane enough to know she was talking crazy but losing it to the point of not caring how she sounded.

"You're nuts," she grimaced, backing away in awe.

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you," she seethed, her eyes glaring into narrow slits. "Poor crazy Sable, get her out of the picture now that you have everything you want! There's no room in your perfect picture for a sidekick anymore is there?" Sable screamed.

Domini shook her head, unable to fathom where any of it was coming from. Sable was talking nonsense. "Did you burn your arm or hit your damn head?" she shouted.

Sable lunged at her friend, "**You** burned me!"

David and Marko jumped backward and out of the girls' way as they grappled and hit each other, a fury of flying arms and pulling hair. Not even vampires were willing to step into the middle of a girl fight.

Max had seen enough. He stepped in from the back of the store, ready to let the boys remove Sable from the situation as planned. The threat of pain had elevated all of the girl's emotions and adrenaline. She was not making any sense and he knew that she did not mean a word of what she was saying. On some level, maybe Sable feared those things but no part of her believed them. She was fighting simply for the sake of the heat of an argument. If they did not calm her soon, her blood would boil over and her mind would begin to cave under the pressure. This was only the first crumble.

"**STOP**!" Max roared, making all four of them cringe under his command.

Sable clutched her arm, pulling away from Domini as the boys stepped in between them as a belated border.

Max clenched his teeth, grinding them together. "Take Sable to my office, Marko. Domini? Step aside," he growled.

Domini backed into the corner and sat down, curling her knees up to her chin as she started to cry. David knelt down beside her and held her as much as she would allow him.

Moving Sable to the back office, or what was left of it, Marko sat her down in the torn up chair and looked at her arm. He was far more worried about her mind though.

"What are you taking this out on Domini for?" he asked softly, backing up a step in case she swung at him next.

Sable shook her head. "I don't _know_!" she snapped. "I didn't even want to be here in the first place!"

"Because you didn't want to work," he nodded.

Sable glared at him with incredulous eyes. "Um no, because my _dog's_ dead, _remember_? God you can be an asshole," she huffed.

Marko tilted his head to the side, barely eyeing her but afraid to look away from her. "What the _fuck_, girl?" he shouted. Marko was no longer sure he wanted to turn Sable. She was turning right before his eyes and it was not the pretty sight he imagined it would be.

Stumbling out into the middle of the store, Marko shook his head, screaming to David from inside it. _No fuckin way, man! I didn't sign on for this. She was a lot of fun for a while there but Game – Over! I'm not spendin' no eternity with Unstable Sable over there and her collection of fuckin' doll hair and dog heads! No fuckin' way. I want out. I say we fuckin' eat her and leave the rest for the dogs._ He looked back at the open office door, wishing he could scream it at her but settling for the yell in his mind instead. **_Real_**_ fuckin' dogs! Not __**statue**__ dogs!_

_Cool down, Marko!_ David ordered. _We just need to get her back to the cave and under control. She's spiraling out faster because she's all lit up!_

_Lit up? _Marko laughed in his head. _The lights are on, man, but there ain't __**nobody**__ home!_

Max's voice boomed in their heads. **_Both of you, stand down!_**_ I'm going to fix this like I do everything else and you will take her home and turn her before it wears off or wears her down any further! Now you made this mess of her and __**you**__ will clean it up! _Max commanded.

Marko huffed and followed him back into the office where Sable was starting to pick at the scabbed skin where parts had cauterized.

Max frowned, "For mercy's sake, child. Get a hold of yourself." He withdrew a small needle from his pocket where he had hidden it after hearing the boys' plan through their shared link. He pressed the plunger to rid any air bubbles and watched the clear liquid dribble over the tip. "Marko, hold her still." As he held her good arm, Max injected the tip into her vein and pushed the plunger down until it emptied.

"Ow!" Sable yelped. "Ow, ow, owww," she trailed. "Ow wow."

Marko watched Max worriedly. "Where did that come from?"

Max smiled. "You can't possibly think you're the only ones I spend any time with. I have friends, Marko."

"You do?" he asked, gaining a harsh look in his direction. "You _do_, yes," he nodded, adjusting his tone.

He watched Sable, checking her pupils as the drug took effect. "It will keep her calm for a while. You don't have much time though."

"That's the second time I've heard that tonight," Marko nodded. "Believe me, I'm taking it seriously now. I'm not wasting any more time."

Max reached into his other pocket and retrieved a small, thick leaf. He broke it in half, squeezing the clearish white liquid from inside it onto Sable's arm as she barely flinched. "It'll cool the burn," he soothed.

Marko looked over Max's shoulders in amazement. "How many magic pockets you got?"

Max frowned. "It's aloe, son. It's from my garden out back."

"I swear it's like I have no idea who you are," Marko marveled.

He smiled. "You _don't_."

Max bandaged her arm with gauze from the first aid kit in his drawer that he had bought for Maria the first time she cut her finger and he nearly ate her in his office.

He straightened up and nodded to Marko as he watched Sable. "Take her back to the cave and fix her a drink," he said with a gleam in his eye. "A _fresh_ drink," Max urged.

Knowing just what he meant, Marko nodded faithfully. He would give her his own blood mixed with wine, to hide the taste. Marko could not add his blood until just before he offered it to her though. In Sable's fragile state, she would practically have to drink his blood right from the tap in order to make it potent enough to override her imbalance. He had only one shot to do it right and Marko could not fail. The penalty for making one wrong move would be to spend eternity with an uncontrollable fiend with complete unpredictability. No one wanted that, least of all Marko.

"I understand," he promised. "I won't fail you, Max."

He nodded. "I know you won't, son." Max took a certain satisfaction in knowing that David would have to watch Marko turn a childe before he could. It was a bonus to the game Max was quite pleased with. "My blood runs through your veins, Marko. You're incapable of failing," he smiled, so proud in that moment that he wished he could be there to see him turn her for himself. "Make me proud, son."

Marko nodded, lifting Sable's sedated body into his arms. "Thank you."

Max beamed at him. "Just make sure you put her in front of you on your bike. You don't want her falling off along the way." He frowned. "I'll never understand you boys and your bikes. In my day..."

"Running out of time," Marko said as respectfully as he could. "Not wasting any more, right?"

"Yes, of course," Max nodded with a laugh. "Go on then."

David looked up from Domini's side as they approached, Sable appearing lifeless in Marko's arms. "Is she..." He wished he had asked in his head instead of out loud. "Is she alright?" he finished. It sounded better than asking if she was dead. Domini was upset enough as it was.

Max smiled. "She'll be alright. I gave her one of my anti-anxiety pills." He saw Domini's eyes flash with panic. "Nothing heavy, very mild," he assured her. "She'll rest and heal while she sleeps. The burn is not as bad as it seems," Max promised her. "Domini, why don't you stay here with me while the boys take her back to rest."

"I want to go with her," Domini insisted. She was still angry but, more so, just confused. Sable was hurt though and she needed to be with her. "I can't stay. I'm sorry. Please understand."

He shook his head. "Right now I think it's best. For Sable," he said gently.

It broke Domini to know that her mere presence would make Sable feel worse. She did not understand what was going on and everything felt horribly wrong. Somehow she was to blame for all of it, despite it starting with an accident.

"Fine," she whispered, hating herself for having to agree.

"I'll have Maria take you back, later on," Max said, amending his statement with a time frame. "She's out getting some food and we'll just sit back for a while and straighten this all out. Sable and I talked for a few minutes and I think I can shed some light on your situation."

She nodded, grateful that at least one of them knew what was going on. Max would help her in any way he could. Domini believed that.

David tipped her chin up and kissed her soft lips. "We'll take care of her until you get there. I promise."

Domini supposed that if she could not be with Sable, it was the next best thing to have David and Marko with her. "Don't leave her side for a second," she begged.

He smiled. "You have my word on that."

It was the first promise David had made Domini that he intended to keep. They would not leave Sable's side for a second. They would feed her Marko's blood, kill her before the sun came up, and raise her from the awoken-dead the following night. But they would not leave her side.

**_Thoughts, anyone? Things won't slow down for a while now and each chapter will bring this story deeper into the stacked layers I hope are building. I stake my soul on these pages for public consumption and I hope you'll eat it up. I need to write like I need to breathe but it's always a gamble when you throw it out there. But here it is, just the same. Do with it as you will. But I still hope you enjoy it! Please let me know. Review, private message; just share a little something back. It's good to know you're out there. Thank you, every single one of you! Cheers, Harley_**


	14. Chapter 14

**~ Chapter 14 ~**

**_Thank you all so much! Savanna, I love how deep you read into this story and root for its characters! You're absolutely right about how the scene between Sable and Domini played out. Marko is definitely under a lot of pressure and it's the small comedic moments that hopefully help transition this story along. I'm so glad you love Max. He's such a fun character to write and I enjoy his background and how he can so easily play both sides. Thank you so very much for taking the time to share and give me feedback. It's so helpful to hear your thoughts and insights! TishaLiz and CK, thank you so very much! I'll PM you both with gratitude and get on to this chapter. I'm really touched you all are enjoying this and I hope this next chapter will meet your standards for it, and hopefully exceed them! I've been waiting for these next two chapters for most of the story and I'm stoked to share them with you! Thank you all so very much! Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Flickering candles lit the cave and filled Sable's vision as she awoke. Her muscles felt heavy and her thoughts were groggy. She looked around the lobby, slowly processing the familiar sights that reassured Sable where she was. The only thing she wanted to focus on was Marko, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Sable sat up as the blood rushed to her head, causing it to throb. She never thought she would see that vast room with its eclectic decorations as home, but it was the first place in a very long time that had made Sable feel safe. She had somewhere to go at the end of the night and friends she could lean on and trust. She felt protected there in that strange oasis by the ocean. Time seemed to stop in the old cave by the sea and everything outside of its walls ceased to exist when she was there.

"You're awake," Marko smiled, stepping down the last stair to greet her. He was not sure which Sable was looking back at him as she rubbed her eyes. Would it be the girl he had plucked off the Boardwalk with so much promise and excitement? Or would it be the lost girl in mourning, an unsteady mix of strange and sour moods? "How do you feel?" It was the fastest way to the answer he could think of.

She stretched her muscles gently, trying to shake off the drowsy weight of her body. "I'm," she started. Sable winced as the pain in her arm awoke, spreading over her skin with a flaring heat and stinging tenderness. "Oh God," Sable sighed, staring at the bandage wrapped around her arm. The memories came flooding back one after the other; the terrible accident, her unbridled reaction, Domini's guilt-stricken face. "Fuck," Sable muttered to herself.

Marko sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "I'm guessing you remember how we got here."

She shook her head. "How we got here? No. What happened to make us have to leave the shop? Yes," she groaned.

What Sable could not remember was what had caused her to turn on her best friend over an innocent accident. Her emotions were all over the place and Sable did not feel like she had control of any part of her life anymore, despite all of the wonderful things that were happening in it.

Her poignant eyes lifted to meet his. "What's wrong with me, Marko?"

"Nothing, sweetheart," he sighed, relieved that she was stable for the moment. Knowing it would not last long at all, Marko dove right into his role. "You're amazing."

She tried to laugh at the absurdity of his compliment in the wake of her earlier outburst. "I appreciate that you can see me that way but there is definitely something wrong, Marko. I'm all over the place. That's not me. I don't yell at Domini and we do _not_ fight each other," she said adamantly.

He nodded. "Maybe you've just been on the run for so long that this is the first time you've really been able to stop long enough to feel safe. I think your emotions are still running even though you've stopped." Marko gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he smiled. "It takes a vast amount of adrenaline to keep that kind of street savvy awareness; to be so alert all the time. It was bound to take its toll on you at some point. Give yourself some credit, Sable. Give yourself some time to adjust."

What he said made sense, even while nothing else did. Marko always had the answers and she liked that about him most of all. Marko seemed to always be building her up and finding little ways to remind her that her world was different than it used to be. Sable could let her past fall away when she was with him because none of it mattered; who she was, how she got there. The only thing that mattered when she was with Marko was that he was beside her and there was nowhere in the world he would rather be.

"Why are you so good to me?" she smiled.

He shrugged but then grinned. "Because you let me."

Sable laughed. "Oh is that all?"

Marko laughed with her, glad she sounded like herself and not the maniacal patient waiting to be admitted to the asylum. He pulled the joint from his pocket that Paul had left upstairs for him and lit it with a casual smile. "I'll tell you what," he said, holding the smoke in and letting only his words escape. He exhaled slowly, "Have a smoke with me and we'll talk it all through until you feel like yourself again."

Part of Marko wanted to lead Sable back to herself, like he had offered. The other part just needed her to smoke with him so that her body and mind could relax and ease her through the turn. It could be so painful, psychologically. The drug had eased Marko through the change and it had helped the boys who turned after him as well. Turning was a right of passage, figuratively and literally.

Sable turned her head away from the thick smoke and its pungent smell. The strong scent conjured memories of her father that were too painful to recall, even after the years had passed.

"No, I'm good," she said softly.

Marko watched her closely, trying to see through the secret she was so closely guarding. Her eyes were giving nothing away except a far off sadness and he was not willing to try to read her mind when it was so fragile to begin with.

"What is it?" he asked, settling for the old fashioned way of asking a girl what was really on her mind.

Sable shrugged. "It's nothing."

"Please don't do that," Marko sighed, taking another drag to ready himself for the long talk he was sure they were going to have, even while she was denying it. "Don't shrug it off like you don't know or that I'm not worth telling." His eyes implored her, almost to a push. "Let me in. If it matters to you, then it matters to me."

She wanted to tell Marko, to tell him everything about her so that he could know her and trust her enough to talk to her too. She knew so little about him and every plane they had connected on up until that point had been superficial, yet wonderful. In every healthy relationship there came that night where secrets were spilled and pasts were shared and two people stayed up all night learning about one another on a more intimate level. It was a mile marker in any meaningful relationship that changed everything and brought two people closer. Sable could feel it deep down in her bones that it was time she let someone other than Domini in and that night was as good a time as any.

"Alright then," Sable nodded softly.

If she was going to go back to that place deep in her past, and meet it head-on, she wanted to be fortified when she faced those old ghosts.

Sable reached out, taking the joint from Marko's nimble fingers and placed it between her lips, taking a deep drag. She held the smoke inside, letting it seek out the memories it connected to as it drew them out with her breath.

"God, I don't even know where to begin," she smiled, feeling the pain in her arm turn to a tingle with a second drag.

"Start at the beginning," Marko smiled, hoping it was a short story because Sable did not have much time before the crazy started to creep back in. He was counting on the drug slowing it down a bit a least and sedating Sable's frayed mind.

She looked him straight in the eye, her sadness meeting his curiosity. "Have you ever killed someone, Marko?"

And there it was. The crazy was staring him dead in the eye but he could not look away from it, afraid to turn away from it. Marko settled for an honest but lighthearted response. "Um, not in the past few hours," he chuckled.

Sable did not laugh. "I'm serious."

"Have you?" Marko wondered, seeing the pain in Sable's eyes instead of what he had assumed was something else. She nodded, just barely. It was a motion so slight that Marko would have missed it if his eyes were not trained on her with such keen detection. "Who?"

She took another drag and passed it back to him, afraid her hand might be shaking. "My mom," Sable whispered.

Marko had not been expecting that. There was an aura about people who had taken a life. It was subtle but it was always there, a darkness that followed a person like a shadow that was not their own. Sable did not have that look though. He had to wonder why she would say such a thing if it were not true.

She did not want to dwell on the memories that accompanied her story. Sable preferred to allow the dizzying effects of the drug to keep her removed from them so she could tell her story like it was about someone else; a sad Fairy Tale with a fallen King and Queen and a Princess lost and left to wander the ruins of her broken Kingdom.

"I killed her when I was born," she whispered, accepting the joint back from Marko. "My first breath was her last." Sable inhaled deeply, letting the smoke stifle the pain. "My dad said it was a natural complication. I said it was probably what a father should say to his daughter so that she wouldn't blame herself."

Marko swallowed hard, a lump in his throat as he watched her. Something about the way Sable owned her part in her mother's death resonated with him. It was not empathy on his part by any stretch of the imagination. He simply admired her willingness to take responsibility for killing someone, even when it was not her fault. It was a trait that Marko could foster.

"My dad never lied to me about how my mom and I passed each other on my way in and her way out. He never hid it from me and I loved him for that," Sable smiled. "It was just the two of us and I suppose he could have blamed me for what happened but he didn't; not for a second. He could have wished that I had died instead of her or resented me for looking like her and being a constant reminder, the way Domini's dad did. He was just so grateful that one of us had made it that he always made sure I knew how loved I was, by both of them." Sable took another hit and sat back, turning to the side to face Marko as her whole body relaxed. "Then when my dad got the big C, it was up to me to make sure he knew how loved _he_ was."

"You took care of him?" he asked.

She smiled slightly. "As best as any kid could. I mean, he was a hippie, stuck in a time that still had my mom in it. It was like he was afraid to raise me without her, so he stayed in that time that was fresh with her memory. We raised each other, really," Sable smiled so genuinely. "This smell," she laughed, passing the joint back to Marko, "is the most indelible scent from my childhood. It was the only thing that sparked his hunger enough so he could stomach eating."

She tucked her feet up onto the couch and leaned in toward Marko with a grin. "I'd make these God-awful little cakes in my Easy Bake Oven and he'd eat them like they were delicacies!" she laughed. "We had good times, my dad and I."

Sable's smile drifted low on her lips. "He prepared me as best as he could for when he would be gone. He taught me how to cook for real, how to throw a good punch," she laughed. "How to fend for myself when he wasn't around," she nodded solemnly with quiet gratitude.

"He told me there was a beautiful place where people go when they die where everything they want was already there and they never had to ask for anything again. But once I was old enough to understand what death really was, I thought about my mom a lot. She had never been around and then she was gone. As far as I was concerned, it was as if she had never existed. I didn't want that to happen to me. I didn't want that for my dad," she whispered. "It became my biggest fear and I watched my dad go through it; there one minute, fading away, and then...gone." Sable stared off at the flicker of a candle. "He was my fire and then," she shook her head, "it was like someone blew him out. And I realized that someday, no matter what I did in life before it, _I_ would die – and be gone too."

Marko mirrored her sad face. "Did you believe him, when your dad said that there was something beautiful out there?"

The corner of her smile tucked away between her lips. "At the time I did, yeah. I believed everything he told me."

"What changed your mind?" he wondered, seeing no hope behind her eyes.

"Domini," she smiled. "I know it doesn't make any sense to find comfort in that. And really, I don't," she laughed, despite her implausible denial. "But I think that if my mom and dad were really out there somewhere looking down on me...they would be so disappointed that I wouldn't be able to bear it."

Marko could see the front that Sable was putting up. He could see straight through it. She was smiling but the tears welled up in her eyes. On the surface, she believed every word she said, even while her subconscious knew better.

"Why would they be disappointed, Sable?"

"Just look at me," she shook her head, laughing it off. "I steal and I cheat and I run in the opposite direction of anything even remotely conventional like a job or a home. I don't know how to be tied down to anything at all," she giggled, enjoying the effects of the drug and how weightless she felt instead of pushed down, even while recounting those painful memories.

"You're tied to Domini," he reminded her.

"Yes," she sighed. "And look how well that's turning out," Sable laughed.

He offered an apologetic smile. "That's temporary, Sable. All of this is." Marko knew what he had to tell her then, to lure her over to their side. It was all so clear and she had opened the door herself. All Marko had to do was convince Sable to walk through it. "Nothing on this earth as you know it is forever. You've experienced that firsthand," he nodded. "But what if it didn't have to be? What if there was _more_?"

She shook her head. "Wishful thinking will get you nowhere, trust me," Sable tried to laugh. "Death is by far my biggest fear. The absolute realization that there is nothing out there, beyond us, is almost too disappointing to live with." A sly smile spread across Sable's lips. "And yet the alternative to not living with it is unbearable too. Ironic, isn't it?"

The only irony Marko saw was in her belief of her so-called absoluteness of death. He was proof to the contrary. "What if I told you there was something more out there?"

"But there's not," she sighed, feeling like she was about to destroy Marko's entire belief system. "Domini will never tell you this, but she died when she was little. It was four and half minutes but she was clinically dead." Sable knew she was betraying a trust but the chemicals in her head were misfiring left and right and the only bond she could focus on was the one staring back at her.

"Domini convinced me that there is nothing out there, Marko. I'm so sorry." Her eyes pleaded with him to forgive her. "Whatever afterlife you believe in, no matter the religion you've always thought to exist, she's proof that there is no other side. She's been there – and it was nowhere," Sable whispered. "I don't want that. I don't ever want to be reduced to nothing."

Marko considered telling her everything before turning her, allowing Sable to have a choice that he was never offered, even though he would have chosen it anyway. He felt a sudden protectiveness for the girl beside him and Marko could only believe that it was coming from a source of connection to what she was about to become; for what _he_ was about to become to _her_. It was time.

"Close your eyes, Sable," he whispered.

She smiled suspiciously but did as Marko asked. She would have felt silly sitting there with her eyes closed in front of anyone else. Marko would never allow her to feel that way in front of him though. He supported her in every way she needed. Sable trusted him and she kept her eyes closed without any need to peek. Whatever he was going to do, Sable trusted him implicitly.

With her eyes resting, her mind staring out into the black void behind the curtain of her closed lids, Sable's mind could not help but wander. She began to picture the cave in her mind with all its broken treasures strewn about. "We could be pirates in this cave," Sable whispered with a smile.

Marko froze with his nail poised to his wrist over the bottle of wine. "What?" he grimaced, knowing she was about to confirm his fear with whatever off the wall answer would follow.

"Pirates, Marko," Sable whispered with a devious grin, her eyes still closed. "We could plunder and pillage and bring the spoils back to our lair. We could live forever here because the light can't reach inside." Sable opened her eyes and smirked at him, putting her plan into place as it evolved before her mind's eye. "It's the light that ages people, you know," she nodded. "It's not time, even though that ceases to exist here as well. I mean, just look at this place. A hundred years and it's still strong." Sable's eyes begged Marko to join her skewed momentum. "But no, it's definitely the light that ages and destroys everything it was meant to grow. Most people don't know that," she said as if she was cluing him in on some big secret.

"Right, totally," Marko nodded, reaching out and placing his hand over her eyes as he swept them closed. Time was of the essence and he needed to draw his blood to the bottle. "Stay _with_ me, girl," he begged.

"_Forever_," Sable agreed.

He scraped his nail across his wrist, drawing the red line to the bottle and squeezing the blood to a gentle flow into it. He ran his tongue across his wrist, excited by the scent of his own blood mixed with the sisters he had eaten earlier, fortifying his stamina for Sable's turning. He licked the rim of the bottle, clearing the taste of blood from its lip before it would touch hers.

Marko paused a moment as the gravity of what he was about to do sank in. Once he passed her the bottle and she consumed his blood, there would be no turning back for either one of them. They would be connected forever. Marko had to be sure, when there was still time, that Sable was going to turn while at her strongest. He wanted to tether the promising girl to himself, not drag a muzzled animal on a leash for eternity.

Marko leaned to her lips, pressing his kiss against her. He felt her respond with willing pressure, returning his kiss with the last of her mortal will. He drew back with a smile, having tasted the sanity of her soul in that kiss. Sable returned his smile and her eyes were clear, her mind intact, for the most part.

Listening to what only Marko could hear, but Sable's ears would soon be able to detect, his brothers blended their way into the far corners of the room. He was grateful for their attendance at that momentous occasion and Marko felt safety and support in their presence. Sable was about to become one of them, a kindred addition to their pack. It was only right that they were all there to share in her turning together. Marko could feel their building excitement and it empowered him to fulfill his destiny.

The free will of humankind was an impassable law though, and Marko could not force Sable into the change. He could mislead her to it and omit the blood's purpose but he could not force her into it as he had done almost everything else. She had to accept the contract of death of her own volition.

Marko passed Sable the bottle and allowed her last act of free will to seal both their fates.

Sable ran her fingers over the stubbled barnacles that adorned the dark bottle. Some were broken while others remained undamaged. She felt a kinship to that old bottle in its various stages of beauty, decadence and decay. It had been weathered but survived the waves.

She smiled at Marko with a raised brow. "Is there a message in this bottle?"

"Yes," he nodded, returning her beam with a glimmer in his eye. "It says 'Drink Me'," he grinned.

With a tentative touch to her lips, Sable paused, feeling a jolt of adrenaline course through her veins. Her soft breath blew over the lip of the bottle, making a hollow whistle through its neck like a foghorn of warning.

The firelight in the trash can nearby flickered, shying away from the air and sputtering out, as if the light itself was afraid of the darkness that was consuming the cave.

The three boys waited patiently around the shell of the lobby in the darkness that began to spread throughout the nest. Each dark corner's corridor grew longer with their steps as they stalked their way toward Sable in the looming shadows. It was difficult to tell if they were leading the darkness, or if it was laying their path. Their footsteps were silent, their movements so slow that they cut through the air, creating no wind.

_Drink, drink, drink._

They whispered their mantra, defiant to the audibility of Sable's ears, but defined in her subconscious.

_Drink, drink, drink..._

Sable was overcome with a feeling of being on a great precipice, teetering on the edge of a moment that would change everything she had ever known. She could not discern where that feeling was coming from but it remained present and protruding at the front of her mind.

Her heart beat faster, the pulsing throb threatening the steadiness of her hands as they lifted the base of the bottle. Her gut feeling was silenced as Sable kept her eyes on Marko's crooked grin, urging her on with inspiring motivation.

She tilted the bottle upward until it blocked her view of Marko's smile. She saw only his dancing eyes as they widened with anticipation and promise. The warm liquid corralled from the foundation of the bottle's body and siphoned into the narrow neck guiding its flow across the threshold of Sable's supple lips.

It was like no wine she had ever tasted; honeyed-amber sweetness and the bitter bite of spiced clove. It felt thick as it coated Sable's tongue, flooding her throat with the warming burn of an intoxicating rush. She tipped the bottle's base higher still, devouring what she could only describe as the pulse of life itself.

A collective sigh exhaled in chorus around the room with erotic arousal and sinful pride. Marko's blood, _theirs_ and that of their Patriarch, consumed Sable. For that moment and each one to follow for all time, they were _all_ inside her, a permanent and integral part of her.

Marko's whole body began to tingle with adrenaline and newly driven purpose. He could feel his blood taking its course through Sable's body. Marko followed it with his eyes as his blood coated her throat on the wave of the wine, slid through her body and made its way to her stomach. Like the shadow pain of an amputated limb a person could still feel, his connection to his blood did not sever. It was the most unnatural feeling Marko had ever experienced, a part of himself existing inside a living host, as if he too were alive.

Goosebumps rose along his arms and the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention, saluting the part of him that for a moment in time was as alive as Sable was, even while it was dying inside her, killing her slowly. Marko could feel his death-blood clotting within her, permeating the cells around it and infecting her with a rapid spread of eternal poison.

Sable licked her tongue across her lip, a movement that played out in slow motion. She felt like she was under water, each motion resisting the air it moved through. Her head was swimming and Sable had never felt more intoxicated or content at any point in her entire life. She seemed whole for the very first time. She could see Marko's hungry smile coming toward her, _for_ her, and she welcomed his grinning lips to hers.

Pressing his body over Sable's, Marko leaned her back down over the couch, devouring her kiss and snaking his tongue against hers to taste his blood on her. He had never been so stimulated as he pressed his core against her, arousing him further. Marko ground his hips into Sable's wanting to be inside her like his blood. He was driven to course through her body and fill Sable in every way possible. She belonged to him and Marko's blood possessed more of her than Sable ever had.

Riding high on the elation of intoxication, Sable's body was on fire, aching for the incendiary fuel of him moving inside her. Sable's skin breathed with new life and his roaming hands left a trail of tingles everywhere they touched. She clawed at his clothes, needing Marko to fill her and further ignite the inferno that blazed within.

Marko tore at her clothes, shredding them away from her body and tossing the scraps in the air like a wood chipper devouring a branch with a fountain of pieces cascading to their fall. He had no time to spare in shedding his own clothes and released only the part of himself that he could bury inside her.

Her body welcomed him home with barely even a push as Marko consumed her tender body and filled her with his aching need. His thrusts were strong and heavy, each measured movement designed to dominate the body he had claimed as his own.

Sable moaned into the night, pulling him deeper inside her as her body craved more of Marko than it could ever withstand. She had never before felt so much need for anything in her life. Her intoxicated desire became a wildfire of burning necessity required to survive. Her arousal was insatiable even after she came the first time.

It was like being awake in a dream where reality ceased to be the foundation of reason and the limitations of the world melted away. Every thrust from Marko's drive inside her racked her body with need for more and she prayed that he would never stop.

Circling around them, the boys moved in like sharks swimming through frenzied waters. Their hands reached out for any part of Sable they could touch, already feeling themselves inside her as their shared bloodline flooded through her.

Paul ran his hand up the smooth canvas of Sable's leg, cupping her inner thigh with a dominant grip as he squeezed and watched the ripple of convulsions rip through her body.

Dwayne knelt down beside her and caressed her nipple with the tip of his finger. The pert little point blushed against the paling drain of her color.

She trembled against each touch, her eyes shut tight as she begged for more, no question in her swirling mind as to where it all came from; only that she needed more of it. Every trace over her skin brought her body closer to the purest ecstasy it could fathom.

David sat on the arm of the couch above her head, grinning down over Sable as his hand cupped her chin, tilting her neck back as her hips rose higher against Marko. He stroked his thumb over the line of her jaw, feeling her shiver with need. David placed the pad of his thumb to her lips, bending his knuckle to push against her clenched teeth. As Sable opened her mouth in a moan, he felt the warmth of her tongue lick his thumb as she bit softly at the tip, gyrating her hips with a heated arousal she could not bear.

Sable had no inclination of right or wrong, only want and need. Her body was no longer her own and she gave it freely to every touch that was offered. Each point of contact was more arousing than the last and Sable's body was racked with unquenchable desire as their blood flooded through her body, frenzied further by every touch it could greet.

She could hear herself laughing, even as she felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. No conscious thoughts offered fear or guilt and the only feeling Sable could concentrate on was the fire inside her that grew hungrier with every touch. Time as Sable knew it ceased to exist and life became measured in momentary lapses between each mind-blowing orgasm that riddled her body.

She looked to Marko's blue eyes and shut her lids as she trembled from the quivering heat that overcame her.

When her eyes blinked open again, it was to see Paul's smile above her, his eyes rolling back as he thrust into her again.

Sable's head fell to the side as she came again and her eyes opened to Marko beside her. He turned her head back where her eyes met Dwayne's, his dark hair cascading around her, his strong body movements bringing her to a new climax. Sable threw her head back, her hips rising to meet his, unable to think and only living through the feel of him inside her.

She licked her lips and opened her eyes once more to meet David's smirk above her, his strong hands on either side of her as his hips drove into her. She moaned against the curl of his lips as his tongue swirled against hers. David pulled her lower lip between his teeth, suckling softly as he pushed deeper inside her, making her come again.

When her eyes opened once more, Marko was above her again, smoothing her hair away from the sweat of her brow. His tongue licked the path of her salty tears and kissed them away as she smiled without any meaning or emotion behind it.

Marko was so pleased with Sable and how well she was transitioning. He remembered the elation of the turn and how dreamlike it had been; the mind turning quiet and the body fully awakened for the first time to what it could truly connect to. Gone were the thoughts she would have had before drinking his blood. Sable could only experience and she was overcome by how alive death could make her feel. He knew it would not last long though. The pain was on the horizon of the ghosting fog that crept to the corners of her eyes; suffocating her vision of a world she would never see the same again.

"Come on, honey," Marko smiled as he sat her up and cloaked her naked body in a long black t-shirt Dwayne tossed his way. "We're going out."

"Out," she repeated with a soft laugh that sounded foreign to her. Sable was still caught between a dream and death, where questions had no purpose and answers had no bearing on the elation she felt. Her body continued to tingle all over as her nerves misfired messages that could no longer be received.

Marko scooped her up and carried her out into the night where he placed her on the front of the saddle of his bike and slid snugly in behind her.

Sable leaned back against his solid chest, resting the crook of her neck on his shoulder as the hum of the engine vibrated through her body in magnificent waves and trembles.

"Do you know where we are, Sable?"

She could hear Marko's voice in the distance but it took a moment for her mind to process an answer. Sable could feel the uneven ground beneath her feet and she realized she was walking, Marko's arm firmly around her waist as they moved forward. Sable's eyes were open but she could not seem to see or remember how she got there.

Her eyes finally focused in the darkness as the moon revealed the path her feet moved across. Weathered boards with gravel in between each plank paved the way as she was moved forward along the track. The metal rims on either side were rusted but strong, guiding her footsteps between them.

"The rail yard," she smiled, remembering how she and Domini had once followed its track into Santa Carla when they had arrived. It felt like a thousand years had passed before that night.

"She's coming to," Marko nodded to David as they slowed at the center of the bridge.

Centering himself in front of Sable's hazy vision, David tipped her chin up so she could see him. "I had my doubts about you, Sable," he cooed. "You're lucky Marko saw something inside you. He chose you and that makes you incredibly special. And very lucky," he added with a grin. "But I see it now. I _feel_ it now," he moaned, their blood filtering through the last reaches of her veins and infiltrating her body, systematically shutting it down. "There is only one last step for you to take, Sable. A literal step. And it's one best made on your own."

Sable could barely focus on David's words. She had never felt so awake and exhausted at the same time. She could barely stand and yet she wanted to run a mile. Sable was a conflicted mess of messages that made no sense.

"You don't know what we are," David said softly, cocking his brow. "But you'll know soon enough." He cupped her chin, the strong-scented leather of his glove awakening her senses. "You don't know what you're capable of. But we'll teach you," David promised. "And all you have to do, is follow our lead." He turned to Dwayne and nodded.

Dwayne smiled, "We'll see ya, Sable." He tucked up the collar of his coat and stepped over the edge of the bridge, disappearing into the fog.

Sudden panic ripped through her as Sable reached out a heavy arm, catching only the wind in his wake. "Nooo!" she screamed, her echo calling back to her from the depths below.

"Paul?" David snickered.

Sable turned to him, shaking her head and trying to grasp what was happening. "No, don't!" she howled as Marko held her back and Paul quietly plunged into the oblivion below. "What's happening?" Sable shouted to the only remaining men on the bridge.

"No fear, Sable," David urged her. "You're one of us now." He grinned as he backed away to the edge, focusing on her terrified eyes. "Do you trust us, Sable?"

"Stop this! Stop it now!" she begged Marko. Sable had to believe that the ground was just beneath that fog and there was no real danger at all. She wanted to think that the echo of her screams was a deception of the ear and that the void below was not the great chasm she was sure it must be. "Please, David. Don't do this," she cried.

"It's already done," David grinned. "And your turn is next." He loved that she did not yet understand the double meaning behind that phrase. She would soon enough though. "Marko?" He cocked his brow expectantly.

"No, no, no," Sable cried, clawing at the arm of his jacket.

He smiled and kissed her lips. "I'll see you soon, Sable. Be strong." Marko pulled away from her and leapt over the edge, waiting for her all the way down.

Sable turned to David, fear and confusion taking over her. "Why are you doing this?" she whimpered, wrapping her arms around herself just to have something to hold onto; just to be held even if only by herself.

David shook his head. "Because this is how it is done; how it has always been done." He put his hands on her shoulders with a firm squeeze. "We believe in you, Sable. And once you get through this, you'll believe in us."

"What's to believe?" she shouted. "Tell me what's going on!"

He only shook his head again. "No. Words won't explain what you have to experience for yourself."

Sable found them all crazy. Maybe they were all waiting just beneath the fog, laughing at how afraid she was. It had to be some kind of initiation but, for the life of her, Sable could not understand why or into what.

"If you think I'm going over the side with you, you're nuts," she spat.

"Not _with_ me, no," he smiled. "You're going to do it on your own."

The whole night up until that point had become a blur but her senses were coming back to her. "Like hell," Sable scoffed.

He laughed, "_Exactly_ like Hell. Yes, Sable. Now you're getting it," David snickered.

She knew he was testing her and there could not be any real danger. The boys were not suicidal and Marko would never lead her toward any harm. She tried to plead with David. "I don't want to fall," she whispered tearfully.

David smirked. "Dark angels don't fall from grace...they dive into the descent." He turned away from her as she screamed and he dove headfirst over the side of the bridge, disappearing into the fog without so much as a sound.

Sable looked over the side, her scream following down after him. She told herself over and over that it was only a test of some kind and that they were all down there waiting for her to trust them enough to jump. Sable wished that Domini was there. She would know what to do. But she was all alone up there on the bridge and the only way back, was down.

A strong pull inside her told Sable that she would be alright if she followed their lead. It did not make any sense but she believed it down to her bones. Sable gathered her courage as her bare foot slid the gravel over the edge she stepped to. She swallowed hard and stretched out her trembling arms, the only part of her willing to reach out over the edge.

Sable's eyes focused on her arm and how she could not feel the burn anymore. She tugged at the folded end of the bandage and slowly unwrapped the gauze, waiting for the sting to burn. The white bandage had turned dark with blood as she uncoiled it down to the bottom layers and still she braced for the painful pull where the gauze had no doubt adhered to the open wound. The bandage slipped away from her skin with ease, revealing the smooth canvas of her arm. There was no burn or mark at all. Her skin was perfectly intact as if it had never been touched.

Her trembling fingers loosened as the bandage fluttered off into the wind, spiraling on the breeze as it drifted down the path the others had taken.

Turning toward the fog, Sable could hear the soft snickers down below. She was ready for the trust fall, believing that she could no longer trust anything she thought. But Sable could trust them. Whatever was happening, they had the answers and they were waiting for Sable to join them.

Hearing their laughter, Sable found her own voice as she joined in. Her stomach began to ache she laughed so much and the echo of her cackle only made her laugh harder. None of it mattered anymore and Sable could feel the tow of her counterparts below. She was drawn to her pack, pulled toward her pirates.

She mustered all of the courage she could bear but she could not face the drop. Sable spun around, turning her back on the laughter below. As she stood on the bridge alone, staring at the escape route she could so easily take, Sable closed her eyes and blocked it out. It was not an option. She held her arms out from her body, like the wings of an angel, and leaned backward until her feet slipped from the edge, nothing beneath her but fog and howls and faith.

Sable screamed all the way down toward the howling laughter as it filled her ears, surrounding her from every direction as she continued to fall. There was no end to the fall but she was not alone. They were all around her, laughing until she was laughing with them.

Eventually she would have to hit the ground. _Where was the damn ground?_ Her scream resumed between intermittent laughs because the ground did not come to her. Was she falling or was the earth sinking?

The pain swept suddenly through her body like she was descending through fire and it ripped her from the inside out. It was as if her flesh was tearing from her bones, the marrow boiling inside them. Sable's scream paused only long enough to refill her lungs with air so she could scream again.

The final surrender of a human's soul was a horrendous amputation of abominable proportion. Sable felt her soul rip from her body as her carcass fell back to the earth, but that was where the pain stopped with a jarring release.

She was surrounded by the firm claiming of the four men, her pack carrying her off into the night to feed while she watched; to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what they were and had made her. They raised Sable up on their shoulders, showing her off to the moon that had replaced her sun and the night that would be her only sky from that moment forward.

_And four - became five..._

**_Everything changes from here on out, for everyone involved! Please let me know what's on your mind! Cheers, Harley_**


	15. Chapter 15

**~ Chapter 15 ~**

**_Thank you all so much! This chapter steps away from Domini to walk you through Sable's change. I've been waiting for her to turn for so long now and I hope you have too! I'm anxious to know if you're excited to see how things will begin to shift because of it. Major changes ahead!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The crushed coral in the driveway crunched beneath their feet as the pack made their way toward the beach cottage at the top of the dune. Every light in the house was on and music blared through two sound systems, one in the house and the other on the beach, intermingling two hard rock songs that blended into the raucous of a party spilled over onto the sand.

They maneuvered through the maze of haphazardly parked cars, making their way past the poster board sign propped up on a plastic chair that read:

**Everyone is welcome but there are four rules:**

**1. If you pour it, drink it down**

**2. If you hear it, rock it out**

**3. If you spark it, fire it up**

**4. If the cops come, SPLIT!**

"Who lives here?" Sable asked.

Marko grinned to his brothers as they kept a tight circle around Sable, escorting her. _Who dies here is more like it._

Well that's easy, Paul laughed in his head. _Everyone_.

"It's just a party," Dwayne's deep voice purred to soothe her.

David could not help smirking as he watched Dwayne's tone filter through Sable's ears and vibrate within her body. She was so sensitive in her current state and every sound and touch that connected with her sent ripples of rapture coursing through her changing body.

"We're gonna' have a real good time tonight, Sable," he grinned with assurance.

No doubt resonated in Sable's mind that David was right as they stepped up onto the porch and walked through the open door into the middle of a party. There were only a handful of people inside but the party on the beach was in full swing. Sable still felt like a rock star with an entourage of bodyguards around her.

All eyes turned toward the pack as the shouts and laughter became low whispers of hushed questions beneath the blaring music.

_"__Do you know those guys?"..."Oh my God, are those really the Lost Boys?"..."Who's that girl with them?"..."Have you ever seen her before?"..."What are they doing here?"..."Who invited them?"_

The circle around Sable broke away as the boys spread out through the party, dominating the attention of every room they glided through. Only Marko remained by Sable's side but she could still feel them all around her; deep inside her.

Marko took her hand and leaded her upstairs where they could be alone, even though he knew it would not be for long. At the end of the hallway a door was closed, but no sound came from within it. He took Sable inside and grinned at the scene of a teenage girl's bedroom.

A canopy bed sat in the center of the room, pink ruffles adorning the top and skirting its frame. A well-loved teddy bear sat against the pillows, a stark contrast to the teenaged rebellion of rock posters lining the walls with the decorated flourish of Def Leopard, Guns n' Roses and Whitesnake.

Staring out the open window, Marko held Sable's hips as they swayed to the music. They watched the party on the beach together. So many people, so few inhibitions. The music found its way up to the window, flooding their ears and making Sable's slowing heartbeat pound.

Marko moved from behind her, sitting down on the foot of the bed to watch her. Sable opened a jewelry box with a ballerina turning inside to soft music while she fingered through costume jewelry and perfume bottles on the vanity top.

She knew something had happened to her that night but she still felt removed from everything. There were images in her head of more than just Marko on top of her earlier that night but they felt far away and dream-like. Sable had never before had to ask herself if she was dreaming when she was awake, she reasoned. That was a question for a dreamer whose subconscious knew things were too unreal to believe. Was it because of the pot she had smoked? Maybe it had been laced, although Marko had not seemed bothered. The bridge had felt very real. The fall had been excruciating beyond any words ever spoken or even thought. The haziness of uncertainty had clouded over after both events though. Something told Sable not to ask Marko any questions, for fear of losing the one connection she could feel. She could not feel the ground she stood on, even then, and Sable almost wondered if she was still out there, falling.

She had once had a room like that, she thought, looking around; a room displaying the pull of two directions - the innocence of a girl and the angst of a teen. Sable seemed just as caught between two places as that girl but she could no longer be sure of which two directions she was being pulled. It was as if she was in the middle of something but had no understanding of what.

Being in that room made her feel like she was intruding on a life in progress, when hers had completely stopped that night. Sable felt little more than disgusted pity and resentment rising within her for the girl who slept in that room, with all of her carefully acceptable rebellion. She may have been equally as lost, but Sable had lived dangerously enough to have been found.

"Should we be in here?" Sable whispered, snapping the ballerina off its coil and breaking its pirouetted legs between her fingers.

Marko grinned and lay back on the bed, his legs dangling over the end. "Probably not. Exciting, isn't it?"

"Maybe," she smirked back at him, making her way to Marko and resting her hands on his knees as she leaned over him. The music from the beach drove her to want to move. Sable wanted to feel Marko's hands all over her. His touch was electric and she knew that it had something to do with everything that was happening to her. She finally dared to ask, "Why can't I feel anything except when you touch me?" It was an honest question but a smile crept to the corner of her lips just thinking about Marko's touch.

"Do you _want_ to feel?" he grinned, sitting up slowly.

She licked her lips, mesmerized by the look in his eyes that ghosted his intentions all over her. "Yes," she begged, already feeling Marko before he ever moved.

He leaned toward her, slipping his finger through the loop of her jean shorts and pulling her closer. "Where do you want me to touch you?" he teased.

Sable's head drew back, the invisible but visceral sensations of his hands already on her skin. "Everywhere," she moaned.

He smirked up at her, guiding her over him as he leaned them both back to the bed. "Your command is my wish."

Downstairs, Paul blended right in with the group of college kids in the kitchen, hopping up onto the island counter and blazing up a joint he passed to his new crowd. They reveled in his easygoing presence, eager to share his party favor and his attention.

When a pretty young girl, with her Sorority letters emblazoned over her top, saddled her way between Paul's legs, he smiled down at her. He traced his finger across the gold letters of her necklace, scripted with the word "Pledge". It branded her as an easy mark. Sorority sisters were generally already taken or too uptight to give anything up so quickly. Pledges on the other hand were ingrained with a need to please, already half broken by hazing. If she was still pledging in the summer, there was no doubt in Paul's mind that the girl was just resistant enough to conformity that she would easily walk away from the crowd, but still put up enough fight to make the kill more fun.

After observing the room and his options, David slowly made his way to the stairs, wasting no time in the ritual of introductions or the ceremony of small talk. He paused, mid-step, and placed the cup of his hand to a slender blonde's jaw-line, his knuckles brushing back her hair as his thumb grazed her cheek. He looked deep into her eyes without expression, clearing out her mind and inserting only a single thought. She smelled like suntan lotion and Jack Daniels and his eyes lowered to watch her breasts heave beneath her bikini top with a look of awe in her blue eyes from his touch.

David smirked and hooked his finger under the string between the triangles of her bikini and pulled her with him up the stairs. She followed him toward the last bedroom on the second floor where he could hear Marko and Sable drawing him in.

A creak of the floorboard in the hallway startled Sable. She sat up and tightened her thighs against Marko's sides. "Someone's coming," she breathed harder.

He slid her off of his lap and took her hand, leading her to the closet and slipping inside, pretending not to know who was approaching. Marko grinned in the dark, turning Sable around to peer through the slats at the moonlit room. He pulled her back a step against him as David and his tasty treat entered. Marko could hear Sable's soft sigh of relief to not see the owner of the bedroom. He longed for when Sable would no longer fear getting caught. She could feel his power taking her over but still had no idea what it meant for her.

David left the door open a crack for his brothers and backed the girl up to the foot of the bed until the back of her legs hit it and she fell over the mattress. He climbed up over her, knocking the teddy bear to the floor to make room for everything he needed to do to that girl.

His tongue laved over her nipple, biting it gently into a point through the thin material of her bikini as she moaned. David could hear Sable's breath hitch from the closet to his right and was aroused further by his audience. He would give her a good show but, by the final act, Sable would have a front row seat to the finale of a lifetime.

He grinned over the girl, sliding his finger along the bikini string to the right and pushing the cloth over the curve of her breast. He moved his finger to the left to reveal her other supple breast, two pert nipples reaching up to his tongue, begging for his attention. David grazed the tip of his thumbnail over her nipple and suckled it between his lips, flicking the tip of his tongue around it. The girl's hips rose up to press into David's and he snaked his hand down between them to rub her jeans against her heat, creating a friction that aroused her even more.

Sable rested her head back against Marko's chest as his arms wrapped around her, his hands sliding up underneath her shirt to pinch her nipples. He mimicked the erotic scene they were watching and Sable could connect everything she saw to the hands she could feel. She was stimulated by the realization that they were observing two people in an intimate moment with no idea anyone was watching. Sable had never thought of herself as a voyeur but Marko had opened her to many new things and she loved every one of them.

A warm breeze blew in through the window, ruffling the pink curtains as the music blared on with a crowd of people just outside down on the beach by the ocean's roar.

Images of David on top of her flooded back from earlier that night. They had seemed so surreal, especially since she had felt no remorse for being with him. There was no guilt to tell her it was wrong. Marko seemed to feel no betrayal on either of their parts. Being with the boys had seemed as natural as when she was with Marko. Sable felt no desire to try to make sense of it. Her mind was not working the way it had that morning. Everything was different; better.

The corner of the living room on the first floor held an empty space for Dwayne to fill. He stood back, taking in the room and assessing its possibilities. A short blonde still wearing her cheerleading tank top over a pair of cut-off jeans, despite the season having ended nearly two months before, told him she was a high school girl trying to make her mark in an older crowd. She stood out like the desperate kid he knew she was and he realized she was hosting the keg party, trying to fit in with the crowd that was so blatantly using her. She giggled at the attention she received but frowned as Dwayne looked away from her with a bored pass.

An island-tanned beauty smiled his way from across the room, locking his eyes with hers. With her overfilled bikini top and long dark legs, she was a walking Hawaiian Tropic ad and Dwayne was ripe for her sale. She held up her drink in a toast as she smiled and turned around, leading him up the stairs. She moved down the hall toward the rooms that branched off, giggles and moans creeping through the closed doors. The girl continued on until she reached the cracked door at the end, signaling an empty space they could fill.

Sensing Dwayne's approach, David rolled the girl right over the side of the bed, letting his own body break their fall. He did not want to take her until they were all there together. Foreplay was so much better when real games followed.

He rolled her over again, muffling the question she was about to ask with his kiss. His tongue filled her mouth and stifled her into the softest moan while his fingers tore at the button of her shorts and slid them off, knowing that Marko was mirroring his move with Sable.

Dwayne let the girl guide him to the bed where she turned around to face him with a drunkenly sly smile. He leaned in, brushing the bridge of his nose along her cheek as her lips reached for his kiss. Dwayne gripped her hips and picked the girl up, tossing her back onto the bed with a bounce. He grinned as he looked to his right, over David's back and the bare legs that reached up around him. He could hear Sable's heavy breathing in the closet and the soft ruffle of Marko's hands moving beneath her clothes. Dwayne draped his body over the girl and roamed his hands across her skin as his kiss devoured her lips.

Slipping her hands up behind her, Sable reached back for the soft curls of Marko's hair, lifting her breasts higher as he cupped them. She tangled his hair around her fingers as he twisted her nipples gently and they watched the two couples explore one another before their eyes. She breathed harder as Marko pinched her nipple with one hand and slipped the other down the front of her panties, sliding his fingers between her warm wet folds and curling them deep inside her.

Sable wanted to turn around and touch Marko, to make him feel the same way she did but he would not let her move. She knew that he wanted her to watch them while he touched her so she could take it all in, while he took her in.

Paul laughed his way through the door, his teeth nipping at the giggling pledge's neck as he pressed her back against it until it closed. He slipped his hand down to lock the door and his hands immediately resumed the mapping of her hot little body.

The girl's smile moaned as her head fell to the side and she looked past Paul's shoulder at the two people she could see on the bed, tangled in heavy petting, groping one another. "Um, hey. This room's taken," she whispered. "Let's find another."

Paul grinned back over his shoulder, wondering what she would think if she knew there were actually three other couples in that little bedroom. "No time, baby." He grunted as he rubbed the bulge in his jeans against her. "I need ya right _now_."

"But..." she moaned, trailing off as his hands drew down her shorts and he pushed his finger through her cotton panties until they were moist and warm.

"Trust me, honey," he grinned. "They're too busy to look. And you will be too," Paul laughed, tucking his finger around the side of her panties and pushing them aside as he accessed her neatly trimmed mound. He let her warmth guide his finger inside as he prepped her with one hand and freed his need with the other. "I betchya I can make ya forget we're not alone."

She moaned as he tore back the flimsy cotton and ripped it open so his cock could work its way inside her. Paul pressed her hard up against the door and pinned her with his body with one hard thrust that immobilized her. He was at a perfect angle to lift her just barely off her delicate feet with each buck of his hips and Paul had her gripping onto him for balance.

Behind the closet doors, Marko's fingers moved inside Sable faster, his thumb's attention circling over her clit in rapid rubs. She was trembling against him, her arms stretched up as her fingers clasped behind his neck. He pushed her panties down her smooth legs to a pool around her ankles with her shorts. Marko's tongue licked along her collar bone, small nips of his teeth foraging her flesh. The pound of the music's base thudded through the floor, vibrating through her with a secondary pulse that rocked her to the core. The screams of the party-goers outside seemed to cheer them on.

He could see Sable's eyes closing in her arousal but Marko would not stand for it. She needed to see and he would not allow her to come until saw _everything_. Marko wanted to tie her ecstasy to the erotic end of the delicious devour. Sable needed to associate the two arousals because they were one in the same.

He released his pinch of her nipple and drew his hand up over her chest to her neck, gripping her throat as his thumb and forefinger pressed her jaws. Sable moaned but her eyes shot open.

"Watch them," he ordered her hungrily, his tongue tickling her ear. "_See_," he grinned, curling his finger inside her again but slowing his rub against the bridge with the tip.

Sable stared through the slots of the closet, focusing her eyes on the first thing she saw; David's hips rising and falling. The girl beneath him had her leg wrapped up over his side, obstructing her view as he moved inside her. David brought his finger to his grinning lips. The girl was shaking and moaning softly, trying so hard to keep quiet on the floor beside the bed.

Sable could smell the sweet scents of musky heat permeating the room as the boys satisfied the girls they were with. She felt aroused and proud, silently cheering her boys on with every hitched breath that lodged in her throat while Marko's fingers played deep inside her.

David's eyes turned toward the closet, finding Sable's in the darkness behind the slotted panels. The smirk grew across his lips as his nose rose ever so slightly, catching the scent of her arousal in the air.

Sable felt a cold chill despite her overheated body. The way David stared through the dim light unnerved her. It was almost as if he could see her. She trembled against Marko, unable to take a single step backward. Could David really know they were there? His smirk assured her that he did and it turned him on. She knew she should feel a sense of alarm, or at least guilt over what that meant for Domini, but Sable's entire focus was far away from her and those feelings had broken off from her. Sable's body was Marko's, her eyes feasting on the tangled bodies they drank in. Her mind could only think about one thing - how hard she was about to come.

David snickered softly; listening to Sable's slowing heartbeat dying inside her while her body came to life around Marko's playful hands. He could sense her need and it matched his own. Sable was going to come and Marko had timed her perfectly, keeping her on the brink of an orgasm he would not let her reach until the feed. Sable was ready though, and so was David.

He kept his eyes on Sable's, making sure she could see the flash within them as blue was burned away by the amber glow. His smirking brow hardened as the bones protruded and his face changed with his fulfilled desire.

Sable gasped, pushing back hard into Marko's unmovable body. He pressed firmly against her, holding her still as his fingers retained their momentum inside her. She stared, wide-eyed, thinking that if she could see more, the image would show it was not what she thought. Despite her open eyes locked through the slats of the closet, David's smirk spread to reveal the descent of two sharp teeth that glistened in the moonlight as his tongue licked across the luminescent fangs and Sable's body went rigid. Marko's fingers suddenly resumed their frantic pace inside her, rubbing that sweet spot that forced her body into convulsions around him, stifling the scream that begged to escape.

David laughed, throwing back his head on her cue and sinking his fangs into the flesh of the girl's throat, ripping through her vocal chords before she could utter a scream. He buried his mouth over the gurgle and suckled her blood over his tongue, lapping at the rush as it leapt to his lips in a fountain.

"Marko," she gasped in a choke. "What's happening? Something's wrong!" Sable's barely audible whisper begged him to look and see what she saw; to confirm her disbelief. As he rubbed her clit harder, Sable knew he could not possibly be looking, his eyes closed in the throes of intimacy. She clawed at him, trying to get his attention as her voice broke and no sound beyond her panting fear could escape.

At the first scent of blood, Dwayne turned in an instant and coupled the girl's breasts between his greedy hands, moving them out of his way. His head pushed her chin up as he plunged his fangs into her neck and he came inside her, draining the girl as quickly as he emptied himself.

Sable's feet scraped the floor as she pushed against it, trying so hard to back away from the gruesome scene. Marko pressed harder against her, rubbing himself into her and she could not fathom why he was not stopping. The scream in her throat finally released, even as his fingers drove her to come and her mind and body fought one another. Her half scream, half moan had barely reached the air in the closet when Marko's hand clamped firmly over her mouth.

Paul let out a laugh that turned to an excited howl as he gripped the girl's hips and slammed her body to the floor. She whimpered and reached for her throbbing head, trying to understand what was happening. Paul would not allow it. He dropped down to the floor over her, thrusting himself back inside her as she clawed at his arms, both attacking and defending at the same time. Paul pumped his hips as he sunk his teeth into her flesh, his fangs elongating at the taste of blood. He siphoned her life essence to his tongue, ripping through her flesh as fast as he bucked against her body. The convulsions of her fear and dying trembles hurried Paul to his goals as he came with the last lick of life he drained from her.

Marko continued to ravage Sable's body even as she screamed against his palm. He could feel her tighten around his fingers with equal fear and arousal, his blood inside her compelling her arousal to surpass her fear. It was a proud moment for him to finally involve Sable in a moment she would never have to forget. All of the mind games were over and she could experience them in their true form. They were stripped down before her as she had been bared before them so many times. Sable finally knew the secret her subconscious had been keeping from her every time they had plucked it back out. There were no secrets between them anymore. Marko moaned against her ear, his own change taking over in anticipation of what she was about to fully realize.

Sable's body turned weak and she would not have been able to stand if Marko was not holding her up. "Marko, do something!" she begged softly as he released the clamp of his hand from her lips. Sable could feel his smile pressing her cheek as she turned slowly back and Marko allowed her to see his true face. Sable screamed but no sound came out. She tripped over the clothes at her ankles that he had stripped from her body and Sable fell backward through the closet doors, hitting the ground hard beside the body of David's bloodied date.

Her elbows tried to support her as her feet kicked at the floor to move her away. Marko stepped forward from the dark closet, his unnatural grin gleaming as it hit the moonlight and he was over her in an instant. Sable whimpered, the only sound brave enough to escape her trembling body, as the three boys from behind her crawled across the floor to hold her down.

Marko had watched his brothers fuck and feed, felt Sable come around his fingers, and he was ready to take his own fill. He nodded to the boys to hold her tighter as he unbuttoned his jeans and entered her in one swift motion. His cock glided through her like a hot knife through butter and he moaned as her dying body swallowed him whole. He would give her the final fuck of her life and Marko was aroused further by knowing he would be her last as a mortal and first as a vampire. Sable would not forget him that time and, despite her terror, he knew he could make her come. Her body knew Marko so well by then, it welcomed him deeper even as she thrashed and screamed.

David licked his lips, elated by her fear and the boundaries within her mind as they stretched to understand all that was happening. "Don't fight him, Sable," he cooed with a hint of warning. "You're one of us now. You belong to him and your body knows it," he grinned. "His blood is the only thing keeping you alive right now. That's why it wants him - even when you think you don't."

"You're home, Sable," Paul smiled, brushing back her hair from her tears. "You _belong_ somewhere now; with us, because we're _all_ a part of you now."

She did not know what they were talking about. Sable could not understand anything she was seeing or feeling. She had never been so afraid in her life and yet her body was more aroused than ever. She was tightening around Marko's cock inside her, not to keep him out, but to take him into her deeper. Sable did not want to see that monster's face over her and yet her reflection in those amber eyes flashed with recognition for its counterpart. Her body betrayed her mind, moving her with Marko's hips toward its victory. Sable cried but the tears were drying as quickly as they fell until no more came at all.

Marko grunted as the rise inside him begged to be as much of a part of Sable as his blood was. He thrust his hips harder into her, guiding himself as deep as he could while her body broke and begged beneath him.

David watched Sable still trying to scream while her voice only managed to pant resistant moans. He was enjoying watching duality struggle inside her. As Sable's scream finally broke the air, the music and hollers of the party outside swallowed the sound. It was in their best interest not to allow her scream to find its way back to the party though. They were having a private party and could not afford a single interruption.

With one strong hand holding tightly to Sable's arm, David reached back to the dead girl behind him. He swept his fingertip across her open throat and collected the remnants of blood he had left behind; making sure it was still warm and fresh. David brought his finger to Sable's lips as she finally found her voice. As her mouth opened to release a newly charged, shrill scream, he rubbed his fingertip across her tongue to its response of immediate silence.

Sable felt like someone had just flipped a switch and turned her off. Her body stopped fighting and her mind went quiet. Her entire world slowed to a sudden stop. Every cell in Sable's body began to tingle like it had earlier that night and her entire focus hindered on the delectable taste that devoured her senses. The sweetest droplet of her whole existence depended on a single need for more of whatever it was that tantalized her taste buds.

David's smirk opened to a soft moan as Sable's lips wrapped around his finger, her tongue suckling at him like a baby for milk. He licked his lips as her teeth scraped his finger gently, trying to draw every ounce of the blood her tongue could gather off him. He grinned as Marko slowed his pace inside her, distracted by the scent of blood on her tongue.

David nodded, willing to appease them both as he reached back once more and slid his fingertip through the girl's blood. He brought it to Sable's starving lips, revealing to her the crimson gleam that she now knew to be her reason for being. Her eyes widened but she did not fight it, even as he traced the blood over her lips and painted it across them.

Sable could not think at all; she could only feel the want and need for another taste of that incredible sweetness. She slid a tentative lick over the top of her lip and glazed her tongue with overwhelming desire. The smile spread over her lips as her hips rose up to meet Marko's. She understood everything in that moment; what they were and what she was to become. The fear inside her had melted away and been replaced with insatiable need and gratitude for what felt the most amazing gift a person could ever receive. The night opened up for her and embraced her.

Marko could not bear another second of that girl's blood on Sable's lips. Each hard breath brought the scent of blood with it and it smelled even better on Sable. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers as his tongue tasted her in a way that every other kiss before it had lacked. He moaned at the taste of blood on Sable's lips and tongue and he grunted as her hands gripped his hips, pulling him down into her harder with complete acceptance.

He moved inside her with measured thrusts as his brothers slowly released her and backed away. Marko never heard the door close as they left. He was so focused on Sable's new eyes and how they looked at him so clearly. He could feel her body tremble around him, not from fear, but elation and arousal. Sable did not want to scream, only moan. She did not need to be held down as she clawed at his back to pull him deeper inside her. Marko's need to fuck the mortal dissipated as his want to be with the new and improved Sable took him over.

What had started as fear had become such a blessing as his blood inside her dominated Sable completely. She gripped his hips, guiding him slowly as she smiled up at him. She had never seen anyone so beautiful and she accepted Marko for everything he was and had given her. For the very first time, she understood the true meaning of forever and his blood pulsed through her body with new charge.

He panted against her ear, letting Sable control how fast or slow he moved inside her until she brought him to the edge and pushed him over. He came inside her as she kissed him, sharing the remaining taste of the girl's blood between their tongues.

Marko collapsed over Sable and remained there for a moment, kissing her smile, overjoyed at how well she was embracing the turn. He pulled out of her with a pained groan that disconnected their bodies and rolled to his back beside her. Marko shifted back, showing the face he had made Sable fall in love with.

Sable turned on her side and tucked her arm around Marko's chest, her fingers brushing his curls. "This is real, right?" she smiled in astonishment.

He laughed, nodding and watching her in the moonlight as her complexion continued to pale. "It's real, darlin'." He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her down to his kiss, releasing her no further than a few inches from his smiling lips. "You'll never die, Sable. You'll never grow old and you will always be this beautiful," Marko admired. "You'll never be afraid again. Anything you want will be yours," he promised. "No one can hurt you now."

She smiled down at him, in awe of everything about Marko. "It was your _blood_," she realized. "Wasn't it?"

He nodded, kissing her again. "Yes."

She would have blushed if her body was not still dying. "_Just_ yours?" Sable asked, trying to understand what David and Paul had said before.

He cocked his head to the side, sitting up to face her. "My blood, yes," he smiled. "But their blood is in mine and mine in theirs...and ours in yours. We're _all_ connected now."

Sable nodded slowly. She had never felt so connected to anyone, not even Domini or her father. This was so different; stronger. She could feel the tie that bound her to him, and to them. "Thank you," Sable whispered, closing her eyes.

Marko smiled, taking her hand in his. "I'm going to teach you so much, Sable. You have a lot to learn but we're all here for you. You'll stay in the cave for a while with us, until we can teach you enough to be trusted out in the world. We'll bring you your first kill. We'll show you how to control the hunger from there."

She laughed, feeling her body awaken even further to the scent of blood as it filled the room. "What's to control? I want to feel like this all the time! I've never felt more complete in my life!"

He grinned, remembering the invincibility of his own beginning. "You won't turn fully until you feed from your own first kill."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know who decided what we could be or how it was made possible. I only know that we're here, awarded with the highest prize this earth has ever known." Marko had thought about it a lot when he had first turned, eventually giving up because it did not matter why, only that it had happened. "I think maybe it has something to do with the blood. It always comes back to the blood," he grinned.

"When you drink a vampire's blood, it starts to kill you, invading your veins and poisoning your body, infesting it with death. When you jump to the fall, your free will releases its contract with your soul and that soul you were given is taken back, ripped away. You become unworthy," he said solemnly, but not with regret. "And then, when your heart finally slows to a stop, you're dead; mostly," Marko snickered.

"But when you take a person's life," he grinned, "you accept what you're fated to become. You agree to it and embrace it fully, on your own. When you take a life and separate another's body from their soul," he trailed off. Marko watched her as he finished. "You are damned." He squeezed her hand gently. "And then, you are whole."

It was beyond any realm Sable could fathom. And yet, it did not seem to bother her or matter at all. The distance she had been feeling from her emotions had become a complete break. She embraced every offer Marko gave her. His last words gave her pause though. She felt more total and absolute for the first time in all of her life.

"What do you mean _then_ I'll be whole?"

"You're a Halfling, love," he grinned. "You're neither here nor there, like them," he nodded to the bodies around the room, "or like us. You get the benefits of strength and you're no longer hindered by a soul. But you're not complete yet. The body needs time to process even death."

Marko placed his hand over her heart. "I can still hear it, ya know. It's faint but it's there. By tomorrow night it'll be quiet." He took her hand and placed it over his own heart. "Like mine."

Sable moved her hand, knowing no matter how much she searched, she would not feel his heart beat. Against all reason, Sable knew that everything Marko told her was the absolute truth. She could feel him inside her in a way that he could not lie to her.

She kissed him softly, so grateful for everything he had done for her. Marko had released her from a life of fear and pain. He had blessed her in so many ways. Sitting amongst the carnage of the bedroom, Sable crossed her legs and smiled excitedly, eager to learn everything about the new world she had been brought into. "Did you all feel this excited when you turned?"

Marko shook his head sadly. "No. David and Paul and I, yes."

"But not Dwayne?" she frowned.

He looked away. "It was harder for Dwayne because he didn't understand what was happening to him. We were cut off from the Reservation because it was blessed and we couldn't get to him after he drank. We weren't able to guide him through the turn," Marko sighed. "When the hunger struck him, it hit him like a ton of bricks and he crumbled, devouring everyone who came near him; his family, everyone he had ever known. He spent the rest of that first night throwing them all back up, disgusted with himself because none of it made any sense." Marko shivered at the memory. "And there was nothing we could do for him either. It was awful for Dwayne but it was hard for us to watch too."

"What happened?" Sable asked, hanging on every word.

"He finally broke down and came to us for answers. We were able to get him through to a place where he could accept what he had become. I think it changed him though. Dwayne would not have this life any other way, don't get me wrong," Marko explained. "But he will always feel a little on the outside because he turned alone."

She understood Dwayne more in that moment than any time she had spent with him up until then. "Paul's the youngest, isn't he," she grinned.

"What makes you say that?" he laughed.

She shrugged. "He's so wild and untamed."

Marko nodded with a smile. "Yeah. David's the oldest." He was not ready to tell Sable about Max. He knew he was throwing a lot at her, even though she was taking it so well. Marko had to wonder if part of that was because Sable had been so damaged before her turn. He was grateful just the same. "David's kind of our pack leader. We elected him, really," he reasoned. "But he takes care of us. We respect him and we believe in him. We'd do anything for him."

Sable nodded slowly. "He stood out from the first time we saw him. David's charismatic, I can't argue with that. But I don't see why you all have to do what he says."

Marko's smile faded. "Listen to me very carefully, Sable," he warned. "I am your Sire and you are bound to me, no matter what. It doesn't matter if you agree with me, you _will_ listen to me. David is in charge of this family of ours and we wouldn't have it any other way. You will obey him, _whatever_ he asks."

She smiled, unable to stop herself. "But _why_? I mean, you all have the same power. Don't you think it's just a little bit pussy to bow at David's feet?"

Realizing that Sable was not going to be as obedient as he thought, Marko thought it best to put his foot down from the start. He grabbed hold of the back of neck and pushed her face down over the dead girl's gaping throat beside them, feeling her resistant push against him.

"Take a good hard look at what David does when he's happy, Sable," he warned. "You stood in that closet, the same as me, and you watched him tear out her throat with a smile. Don't you dare think for a second that just because his blood runs through you that he won't hesitate to make you suffer if you step out of line." Marko pulled Sable's head upright again and he forced her to look him in the eye. "You are _not_ like the rest of us," he growled, his defense for David making him protective.

"Not yet, I know," Sable nodded with apologetic understanding.

"Not _ever_," Marko growled. "You were _not_ brought into this pack to be an equal. You will be one of us but there is a hierarchy, girl and you are down on the third fuckin' tier," Marko snarled. "Don't you _ever_ talk to me like that again, _or_ about David. I will make you suffer in ways you did not know possible. You _will_ learn your place, Sable. And then you will earn it."

Sable nodded, afraid to say anything when Marko looked so furious. She would listen to Marko and learn everything she could from him. She let Marko kiss her until his smile resumed its place on his lips and she returned the admiration. Sable could not imagine there ever coming a time though, when she would bow before anyone again.

**_I've shared with you. Share with me? _**

**_Cheers, Harley_**


	16. Chapter 16

**~ Chapter 16 ~**

**_I'm so sorry I haven't been able to write anyone back! Between work, being sick and Stormy Sorrow flying out here things have been a little crazy. Not Sable-crazy, but still. Lol Savanna and Emzy, Guest and Private Messengers who go unnamed, you rock! Thank you for all your support and for embracing dear Sable! I'm hoping this chapter will make up for it. Everything is going to shift about halfway through this chapter! From here on out, I'm all caught up so I'll be writing this afternoon. I hope you enjoy! And THANK YOU!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The moon hung low against the dim backdrop of fading night and Domini wished she could pin it to the sky. She did not want to be sitting there on the Boardwalk when the sun came up in another hour. The last sunrise she had seen, Sable had been by her side, asleep, but still there.

It was the first time that Domini could remember when she had no idea where Sable was at any given moment. Generally she was no farther than an arm's reach. Ever since they had come to Santa Carla, the girls had been drifting farther apart. She did not want to admit that Max might have been right. Domini knew Sable better than Max did though. Sometimes, she felt that she knew her better than even Sable did, and her friend could say the same about her. Lately, they had allowed too much space to come between them. It felt awkward and wrong. The Boardwalk felt too long. The crowds had been suffocating but, once they were all gone, it was too quiet. The world just seemed too big.

Picking at the fluffy tufts of cotton candy, Domini had no appetite. She took one piece after another and dropped them into the outer edge of the puddle by her feet. The soft pink cotton dissolved slowly, starting with the piece that touched the rainwater, spreading until it devoured everything connected to it; not a single trace left behind. Domini could relate. The funny thing was, Domini was no longer sure if she was the destroyer or the dissolved.

Max looked from the weakened night sky to the faint horizon and back to Domini, who was fading away herself. "That seems a waste," he smiled at her, watching the last piece of sugar melt into a grainy pile under the water.

"This place is a breeding ground for waste," she whispered with a frown. "Isn't that what you've been trying to warn me about? Santa Carla, where the throw-aways go to disappear," Domini sighed, looking up at the bulletin board of Missing Posters.

He sat down on the bench beside her, turning his back away from the clock tower and relying solely on his internal alarm. Max did not have much time left before he would need to get home but he had wanted Domini to be alone with her thoughts. He did not enjoy seeing her hurt. Devastation was a powerful influence though. Max did not want to tear Domini down. He wanted to rebuild her as stronger, better; more like him.

"Is that what you're afraid of, Domini? That you'll disappear?"

She thought about it a moment, her tired thoughts trudging through the mud of the mess she had made. "No," Domini whispered. "I think I'm just afraid that if I did disappear, Sable might not come looking for me."

"I don't believe that for an instant," he shook his head. "People argue, Domini. It does not mean they no longer care. If anything," he said with a glimmer of hope, "I'd venture it means they _do_."

She was listening. "How so?"

Max smiled over her. "It is when people get quiet, and no longer have the energy to fight, that they stop caring. If Sable was truly finished with your friendship, she would not waste the time to argue. She would not fight with such fire and emotion."

Domini wanted to believe that more than anything but it was so hard. "We've never fought, Max. Nothing I say seems to be right anymore and I know I haven't always been there for Sable but it's not because I didn't try. I just don't know how to be there for her, or for anyone. I'm learning as I go along."

He nodded. "You did not have the examples you should have to show you how a good relationship survives. I think that may be the beauty of your friendship though, not its' demise." Max kept his smile and hoped it would inspire her own. "You and Sable are both learning who you are and what you want. Those things may not always involve one another. And that's alright," he added gently. "You want different things and there is nothing wrong with that."

"Different things?" Domini was confused. "Like what?"

Max wondered if she really could not see it. Maybe she was too close. "Perspective, dear girl," he reminded her. "You've been so wrapped up in how Sable treated you, have you even thought about what it was she said to you?"

"About the 'perfect picture'?" she scoffed. "Sable was talking crazy. She wasn't herself at all. I don't know if even she knew what she meant."

He shrugged. "Perhaps. Or maybe she knew exactly what she meant but it hurt too much to say it any other way but with anger. Or perhaps she's changing and so are you. Sometimes we have to push away the people closest to us because we're afraid they won't let us change. They're too accustomed to seeing us as they have always known us. In pushing them away, it allows a person the freedom to change without judgment of who they want to become, especially if what they want to be is not in their best interest."

Domini twisted the corner of her lip between her teeth. "What are you getting at, Max?" she sighed. "Please just give it to me straight because I'm too tired to dance around this any longer. I need answers, not more questions."

"Alright," he solemnly agreed. "I think it is entirely possible that you and Sable have very different ideas of what you want. You did not have a family, so it is ingrained in you to want to take care of someone and be taken care of in return. Sable had a good family, but it was taken from her and she may not be willing to set herself up for loss again. While you want to settle down, I do not believe Sable does. She is not ready for the commitment or the connection you crave."

She wished she had not asked for the truth. "I don't want us to go in separate directions. She's too important to me," Domini whimpered, holding back her tears.

"Then fight for your friend," he urged her. "Don't fight for her to be like you and want a job she was never interested in. She does not have your drive and you cannot force it on her. The best thing you can do is support her in any way she needs. Anything more will simply push her away."

Domini wiped her eyes before the tears could fall. "Okay," she nodded. "I'll support Sable in any way she needs. But what if she doesn't need _me_?"

Max cast a sad smile over her. "Then you'll come back to me and we will talk it through until we can come up with a new answer together."

Her lip quivered and her brows wrinkled from the pressure of threatening tears. Domini threw her arms around Max's neck and she held onto him with all of the strength she had left.

Holding her gently as she cried, Max remained silent. There was nothing more he needed to say. His job then was to hold Domini while she let it all out. Max's only purpose was to be there for her and to make sure she knew he would continue to be there when things got worse; and he knew they would. Her devastation was disheartening and Max wished he could spare Domini from it. Without it, she would not have turned to him though. For that, Max was grateful.

Domini pulled back, wiping her eyes and laughing softly with an apologetic smile. "I've soaked your shoulder. I'm sorry."

He smiled and shook his head, removing a handkerchief from his pocket and drying Domini's cheeks before giving it to her. "I am not at all worried about a suit. And I am not so very worried about you either, Domini. You're going to be fine. Sable is going to be fine."

"How can you be so sure?"

He grinned and balled his fist, knocking her chin lightly. "Because you both have such an excellent friend in one another to get you through it."

"Thank you, Max," she smiled.

He nodded. "Let Maria take you wherever you want to go. Just go to sleep," he warned her with a laugh.

She waved to Maria who patted the back of her moped. Domini turned back to Max and hugged him once more. "Thank you," she whispered to him. "Thank you for constantly being here for me."

"I will _always_ be here," Max grinned.

Sitting on the beach by herself, Sable kept her knees up to her chin, her arms tucked beneath her legs. The sand was cold from the night air by the water but she was not ready to go into the cave or to sleep. Sable wanted to stay awake for as long as she could and there could be no sleep after what she had seen that night. She would be there when Domini returned, if she was even still coming back. The thought dawned on her with the first pinprick of light on the horizon that Domini may not come back.

She heard the soft hum of a motor in the distance but Sable did not turn to look. She had sat there for hours and had come up with nothing to say at all.

Domini said goodbye to Maria and walked the rest of the way by herself as her friend took off for home. She had told Maria that she had just wanted to be on the beach alone, to think. She could not explain why she had not told Maria where the boys lived. It had just seemed wrong to expose them like that. Maria would not understand. No one could. No one except the one girl on the beach who looked just as alone as Domini felt.

She walked up behind Sable, standing there for a moment and staring at her back. Domini was almost afraid to see her face and the anger that might still be upon it. She took a chance and sat down next to her as the first rays of light pierced the sky. They sat there on the cold beach, side by side, neither girl looking to the other.

Sable slipped her hand down between them and let it sit in the cooled sand. She left it there, holding her breath, and waiting.

Domini lowered her hand and took her friend's, closing it in her own as fresh tears began to fall. She could feel the squeeze in Sable's hand. Neither girl moved, with no comfort to give. It was enough to share the same view, if only for a moment.

All of the pain from that night washed out of Domini with the tide. She wanted nothing more than to forget the fight had ever happened. They would need to talk about it at some point and face one another; the things they had said and how much of it they had meant. But it was not going to be that moment.

As the ruby rays of sun stretched out for sky to grasp, Sable's eyes grew wider. Flashes of the feeding frenzy she had borne witness to only hours before pierced her mind; the boys, the blood, what would one day become her fate. Marko had told her she was tied to him, bound, and that she would not be permitted to leave again for some time. Sable believed every word of it, once she had seen what they were capable of.

Her pupils dilated as the blinding light began to rise but Sable refused to shut her eyes over the last image she would ever see of the sun. She ingrained every ray and color into her memory, those gruesome pictures flashing within the red dome's glow.

There were no names for those colors blending into the sky, no words for the awe of a final sunrise, and no hope for holding onto something that could never be held again.

But there was a name for what Sable was to become, even if she could not speak it. There were words for what she was going to do, even while her voice was strangled beside Domini. There was hope, but it was not for Sable, who could never be held again.

Slipping a pair of sunglasses from her pocket, Sable slowly shielded her eyes as they burned from the light. Within minutes the sun had risen to a half moon shape over the water. The moon would be all she would have after that day.

Domini held Sable's hand tighter; feeling like her friend was slipping away. "I wish we could just stay like this forever."

The breath hitched in Sable's throat as she put her arm around Domini and pulled her close. She let her cry on her shoulder and she held her just like Domini needed. Sable buried her face in her shoulder. There was only one thing in the world worse than what Sable was to become; that she would not want it any other way.

**_Sable, stop!_** David's voice pushed in her head.

The girl jumped, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses as she looked back toward the cave. David meant little to her. Marko's blood had turned the cracks in Sable's mind into chasms and swallowed all common sense. The changes that should have taken her much longer to feel had overwhelmed Sable with anxious vigor and devious poise. She felt unstoppable, a feeling that had been confirmed even more as she had watched the boys feed. Soulless and sinful, she ached to test the boundaries of what she could only see as a world without rules opening up before her. David would not dare come after her in the sunlight and they both knew it. She was unstoppable.

_What? I'm just comforting my friend_, she pushed back. _She's sad_, Sable tried not to smile.

_I know exactly what you're doing and it's going to end right fucking now_, he growled. _You will not harm a hair on Domini's head. Do you hear me?_

Sable faced the cave and the burning eyes she knew were there, even when she could not see them. David was furious but she did not care. There was nothing he could do about it. Domini smelled unbelievable and she was close enough to taste. Sable had sat there for hours just waiting for her. How fitting it would be to make her first kill in front of the sun, before it could kill _her_!

_Make me_, she smirked toward the black cave. _Oh wait. You can't, _she laughed with sarcasm dripping off every word she only had to think. The private thought-line was one she could get used to. Domini had no idea what she was up against and Sable could smile while plotting her demise.

Domini looked past Sable, feeling her friend tremble with a laugh. "What is it? What's so funny?"

She had let her body language slip in front of Domini but would not make the same mistake twice. "Nothing," she smiled back.

_Don't you dare test me_, David warned.

Sable flipped her head around again, challenging David as her head ached from the whiplash of how fast she could move. _Or what? _

Marko's voice rang loud and clear in her mind. _Step away from the girl and get your ass back in my bed where it belongs._

Sable looked back to Domini and groaned with defeat. She kissed the girl's cheek and stood up, walking away without a word. She licked her lips all the way back to the cave though.

_Bring Domini with you_, David sighed, aching to go to sleep.

She waved Domini over, hating the way the girl followed along like a kitten. Stopping just short of the shadows to the cave, Sable looked down at the line in the sand, the threshold between light and darkness. She had not yet crossed over, figuratively. Why should she cross over literally? Sable took a step backward, smirking into the darkness with a gleam in her defiant eyes.

_What the fuck are you doing?_ David growled, his tone completely changing to worry as he asked Marko the same question. _What is she doing?_

_I don't know_, Marko bit, clenching his teeth so tight no words could escape. His thoughts were loud and clear though. _Get in here, Sable. __**Now**_.

She could hear Domini's boots as they crushed through the sand. Sable could hear the tiny grains rolling into the prints she left behind. There was too much to experience outside of that cave and Sable was not ready to go to sleep just because they said it was bedtime. They were already angry. How much worse could they punish her? It was not like they were going to kill her.

_You told me this was the last chance I had to say goodbye to the sun_, she grinned. _Well I want my day in the sun; the whole day._

_That's out of the question_, Marko spat, watching Domini gaining on her.

_Funny_, she giggled, backing away. _I don't remember asking a question. We'll be home later. Don't wait up._

David was fuming so loud Marko could hear it outside of his thoughts. Marko's mind penetrated her whole body as he pushed with the last of his energy the sun was usurping faster than he could think. _You're not taking Domini anywhere. As your Sire I am commanding you inside now!_

Sable shrugged him off with ease. _You haven't made me __**yet**__. You told me that until I feed, I'm only __**half**__-turned. That doesn't make you my Sire; it only makes you my Sir. _Sable was giddy with power she was only beginning to understand_. So goodnight, Sir. I'll try not to wake you when I come home._

She spun on her heel and faced Domini. "Let's go somewhere, just you and me," Sable smiled. "I think we could use some girl time to blow off a little steam."

"I'd love that," she smiled, so tired from the long night but relieved to have her friend back. It was exactly what they both needed.

_This isn't happening_, David rolled his eyes. _Get her under control!_

Marko threw up his hands. _What do you want me to do?_

David was just as helpless as they looked at the girls outside the cave, light starting to stretch their shadows over the sand. _Fine_, he snarled. _But you tell that sly little bitch that if she touches Domini I'll fucking slay her in two before she ever gets a chance to become whole._

_He doesn't have to tell me. I can hear you just fine_.

Sable had been about to sling her arm around Domini but let her walk a few steps in front of her instead. She turned around with a wide grin, dancing over the sand and poking her finger toward Domini's back. _Not touching; can't get mad. Not touching; can't get mad_, she sang as she laughed in her head.

David tore through the cave, breaking everything he could reach along the way. "I will pick that bitch's flesh out of my teeth with her splintered rib as a fucking toothpick!"

Paul yawned from deep in the back of the cave, making his way to the lobby. "Would you two keep it down? I mean, between the yelling in my head and then the yelling in my ears, you literally woke the dead, man." Paul grinned as he twisted his back. "At least put it on hold cause I don't wanna miss how this is gonna end." He laughed with a stretch. "Bitch is fuck-nuts crazy and I really wanna be awake for that."

"Shut it", Marko warned, pacing beside him. "This is serious."

"Seriously hysterical!" Paul was not as convinced. "She's marchin' to her own drum and I don't wanna' skip a crazy beat! Sable just got even _more_ fun and that's a chick I can hang with – literally, once she's fully turned."

Marko growled, never imagining that his blood would turn Sable so fast, or so fearless. "She's not thinking clearly. She has no idea how fast the hunger will hit her."

Adding on, David frowned, "What do you think will happen when that sudden need strikes her in the middle of the Boardwalk?"

"Ohhh," Paul's eyes widened. "Shit." Paul realized that Sable was not only putting Domini and herself at risk. She could expose them all. They had kept their secret sacred for too long and they were not willing to leave Santa Carla and the fresh abundance of food it brought them year round. Not even David would sacrifice what they had there, not for either girl.

Nodding, Paul shrugged with new understanding. "Sorry about your psycho, man," he said sincerely, watching Marko pause his pace.

One growl leapt from his lips and before Marko could even realize what he was doing, he had his claws gripping Paul's shirt and he was snarling in his face.

"Whoa-ho!" Paul yelped, taken off guard.

Marko growled, "I don't wanna hear it right now! A part of me is walking around out there in the sunlight and there's not a damn thing I can do about it! She won't listen!"

Paul backed up, dusting himself off. "And that's my fault _how_?"

"I'm not in the mood for your humor," he warned.

Frowning, Paul was deeply offended. "My sense of humor never bothered you before, brother. You used to laugh with me. You used to be _fun_," he muttered.

"**ENOUGH**!" Dwayne boomed, making all three of them jump. Someone had to be the voice of reason and Dwayne had held his tongue long enough. "This has all gotten way out of hand. David, we don't own much and if you break what little we have, we're fucked," he frowned. Turning, he put up a gentle hand, keeping his voice firm and unshaken. "Marko, take a step back. You're not even angry with Paul. You're pissed because your puppet just cut her strings and she'd rather dance alone than with you."

"Damn," Paul snickered. "The man don't say much but when he does..."

A subtle flash in Dwayne's eyes silenced the end of Paul's observation. "And you," he frowned at his youngest brother, lightening his tone and adding a small smile. "Just because a new fledgling has been brought home doesn't mean we love you any less. You're not the baby anymore," Dwayne grinned, clapping him on the back. "But Sable's going to need your humor to get her through once she's fully turned. You're a big brother now, kid. _Act_ like it."

They stood in silence surrounding Dwayne, nothing left to say in the wake of how truthfully he had called each of them out. There was no arguing with logic like that.

David nodded but he was not fully on board with sitting back and waiting as patiently as his brother suggested. "Alright. But what exactly has brought you to this calm wisdom in the face of epic catastrophe?"

"The fact that there _is_ no catastrophe to triage," he shrugged, taking a seat on the arm of the couch. "How long do you think Sable's going to last out there in the sun?" Four sets of eyes turned toward the tunnel. "She's been out there all night, the sun is separating from the horizon, she's been wasting what little energy she has linking into our thoughts and she's not fully turned yet." He shrugged. "I'd give her less than five minutes more before Sable is dragging herself back to throw herself at our mercy."

David nodded slowly, grinding his teeth into a grin. "I'll be the first to admit that you're a sage among savages, brother."

Dwayne smiled and tipped his chin with approval. "If you'd all stop yapping long enough once in a while for me to get a word in edgewise, I could teach ya a thing or two," he smirked.

The smile spread across David's lips. "I think you may be right. We'll try to keep it down," he chuckled.

Facing the tunnel, Marko chewed at his nail until he tasted blood. He turned his head as Paul held up his hand in front of Marko's face. "What?" he grimaced.

"You can bite _my_ nails if you need to," he smiled. "You've got nothin left," he nodded to Marko's hands.

A wave of remorse washed over Marko for taking out his anger on Paul. "We're good then?" he smiled.

"You know it, man," Paul laughed, even as it became a yawn.

Slumping back against the cave wall, David waited with Marko by the tunnel's mouth. "She better hurry the fuck up or we'll all be out when they get back."

They were exhausted and would not be able to stave off the call of sleep much longer. Sable had so much to learn and David would enjoy watching her squirm through every lesson. She was a wildling turned Halfling but David was sure Sable could still be tamed. Marko would rise to the occasion like he always had. David believed in him and he would back his every play, guide him in any way he could.

Paul and Dwayne dragged their tiring bodies toward the tunnel, standing beside their brothers and lying in wait. They wanted to sleep deep in the darkness but their girls wandered far in the light. It did not stop them from cursing the girls for keeping them waiting.

"No sleep for the wicked, huh?" Paul yawned, watching the light creep past the end of the tunnel.

Domini practically dragged Sable across the sand. "It's not much further." One minute Sable had been leading the way, talking a mile a minute about how much fun they were going to have. The next, she was babbling incoherently. Domini could feel the heat radiating off of Sable's body. The girl was burning up and the thin sheen of perspiration on her skin made it harder to hold Sable up. "Just keep holding onto me," she begged, hauling her along.

It was a defining moment for the girl who was starting to accept her new circumstances and the limitations of them. Sable had thought she was invincible, and for most of the night and early morning she had believed it with all of her heart, even as its beat continued to slow inside her. She held no fear of death anymore as she had her entire life. The world had been split wide open and it was more beautiful than she had ever imagined it to be. There were real possibilities for the first time in Sable's renewed hope.

Then there was the sweet scent of the blood pumping beside her. Sable could smell every juicy vein and they were all calling to her at once. Her stomach cramped like it was caving in on itself and, for all Sable knew, it could have been. She had full recollection of years spent with Domini but Sable could no longer connect to a single moment within them. It was not personal in any way. Nothing was anymore. Domini was nothing more than a source like any other out there. She served a purpose and that was all.

Somewhere between Sable's soul ripping from the bared bones it had clung to and watching the boys wrap the mortal coil around their little finger, Sable had transformed from follower, to leader. For a short time, she had ruled the world.

The very thought of crawling back to the cave with her tail between her legs was a daunting one and Sable could already see their furious eyes, long before she was forced to face them.

Listening intently to the sound of Domini's labored breathing and Sable's shuffling feet, the boys slowly backed up, deeper into the darkness of the cave. They became the darkness at the end of the tunnel, blocking the path and waiting in absolute silence.

"Hello?" Domini called out. "I need help. David? Sable's sick. She's burning up." She felt like she was talking to herself. "I can't see a damn thing," Domini groaned, pulling Sable through the dark.

_The damned see you_, David smirked, his voice finding its way through the darkness to Sable's mind.

Marko grinned, reaching out a steady hand through the black veil that blinded the girls but spotlighted them in his unnatural eyes. "I'll take care of her."

"Marko?" Domini asked, startled.

He took Sable into his arms, lifting her up with ease as he carried her across the room and toward the stairs. "I'll take her from here," he said to Domini, but promised his brothers.

David took Domini's hand, smirking in the dark at how she flinched in surprise. "It's just me," he soothed with a smile. "Let's go to bed."

"But what about Sable?" Domini was worried. Her fever had to be high to have her delirious and weak. It had come on so fast it had been scary to watch. "Maybe we should get a doctor."

He snickered, leading her through the black cave. "Sure thing. Hey Doc, would ya mind coming and taking a look at my friend? She lives in a cave and I think something might be wrong with her."

"David," she sighed, resisting the pull of his hand. She had been awake all night and spent half of it crying. Domini would love nothing more than to go to sleep just then but Sable was not herself. "Please," she urged him, holding her ground.

He rolled his eyes, grateful for the pitch blackness they stood in so she could not see. "Marko is with her and he'll cool her fever down. If he can't, you know he'll come and get us." David cupped her cheeks and sealed her lips with his kiss. "Bed, **now**," he told her, leading her again. "Don't fight me on this. You'll be no good to her if you can't stand up yourself."

She did not want to fight him. Fighting David was always a losing battle and Domini did not even attempt to argue; even while she knew she should. To doubt David in that moment would be to question the trust she had placed in him; the very foundation of everything she had come to believe. Domini had tried to talk herself out of her faith in him before but he had always come through in the end. She did not only want to believe every word David said, she needed to.

"Alright," she conceded. "Let's go to bed."

"Good girl," he grinned, lifting her up and carrying her up the stairs with the last of his energy.

David laid her down and watched as Domini closed her eyes to the same darkness she had seen when they had been open. He listened to her soft breathing as she fell instantly into a dream.

He locked the door and set a chair in front of it for extra measure. If Sable ran rabid through the hallways while they slept, he could not allow her to hunt down the only creature with a pulse in the cave. David would protect Domini right up until the point where he took her life himself. She was his to take, and no one else's. Not Sable's or even Max's.

He crawled up beside Domini on the bed. As soon as he closed his eyes, the deep slumber took hold of him and he was dead to the world, even more than before.

**_Feel free to PM, review or follow along! You have my absolute gratitude for all you do in keeping this story alive! Thank you so much! Cheers, Harley_**


	17. Chapter 17

**~ Chapter 17 ~**

**_Thank you so much Savanna! I'm stoked that you're enjoying Sable. It was so refreshing to give her a sassy moment before they knocked her back down a notch. It's incredibly hard to keep writing characters who accept things as they are instead of challenging back. I had a lot of fun with that last chapter and I'm looking forward to Unstable Sable rearing her confident head again in the future. Good to know she's being received well! This next chapter is a long one, and my gift to all of you for sticking around as long as you have to see this through! There is still plenty more to come in this story and I hope you'll bear down and ride it out to the end. Thank you for coming this far! Xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

It was as dark when Domini awoke as it had been when she had succumbed to the call of sleep. The refreshing sense of waking was the only inkling that any time had passed since closing her eyes at all. The nights were becoming longer and the days drifted away.

Domini had only experienced a few glimpses of the sun in weeks and she missed its warmth. Her only light source came from candles and lit trash cans. She did not even have the fluorescent lights of Max's store anymore; only spotlights, flashlights and the moon. They were poor substitutes but Domini had slowly grown accustomed to the boys' schedule and the nocturnal trade of time.

"David?" she said softly, as sure of his presence in the room as she was of the moon she could not see either, behind the curtain of the window.

From across the room, he grinned through the darkness that only hindered Domini's sight. "I'm here." David swept back the curtain, letting in the moonlight and watching as it made its way toward the girl on the bed. "How did you sleep?"

She stretched, letting her eyes adjust to the new light. "Okay I guess. You?"

"Like the dead," he smirked, slowly stalking the moonlit path to her side. "You ready for work?"

Domini could only offer an incredulous frown. "No. I'm ready to see Sable."

Unfortunately, Sable was not ready to see anyone she was not going to eat. "She's resting," he shook his head. "But her fever broke in the middle of the night."

"How do you know?"

He sat down beside her, brushing Domini's hair from her face as his finger traced her jaw. "I've been up for a couple of hours now. The first thing I did was check on her. Marko was up all day watching her."

It gave her an ounce of reassurance but Domini knew she would not feel better until she saw Sable for herself. She was tired of taking everyone else's word as good enough. Everyone seemed to think they knew what was best; David, Max. No one knew Sable like she did and it was high time she reminded herself of that and believed it again.

"Then I'll take over for him," she nodded, starting to get up as David wrapped his arm across her and leaned her back down over the bed.

"What's your rush, sugar?" David smiled against her ear. He leaned on one arm while the other remained belted over her to keep her in place. "You were out all last night. I missed you," he cooed, a flick of his tongue tasting her soft lobe. "Blow off work and stay with me. Just once," David tried to convince her. "We'll go out - or stay in," he grinned.

Perhaps sleeping away the day had given Domini clarity with the refreshing of her energy, as she saw right through David for once. "Why don't you want me to see her?" she whispered, hoping the soft hint of her voice would not sound as suspicious as she felt.

David froze, his lips poised over her ear. He moved back to look at Domini with a frown. "Go see her if that's what you want. Go to Max if that's where you'd rather be." He sat up and shrugged toward the door, glad he had removed the chair before she had awoken. "Nobody's keeping you from anything, Domini," he glowered. "You want to hang out with an old man, be my guest. He's your new pal," David scoffed. "You'd rather see your old friend, Sable - go for it. But just like your new buddy Max, _you're_ not the only friend Sable's got anymore either," he bit, doing his best to hold back from taking her head clean off.

If she had not been so anxious to see Sable, Domini would have felt a pang of guilt for refusing David's advances. As hard as he was to resist, she was more desperate to see Sable. Lately it seemed as though the boys saw more of her than Domini did.

She placed the cusp of her hand to his cheek. "I know she's friends with all of you too." Domini tried to explain as gently as she could, "But she's _my_ family, David. And it's up to _me_ to take care of her, not you."

He huffed softly, lowering her hand away from him as he turned from her. "How boldly ungrateful of you," David muttered with condescending disdain.

"What are you talking about?" The accusing gasp in her voice was not one that Domini was willing to hold back that time.

David's teeth gripped the inside of his curled lips, trying to keep his temper and the tone that was sure to accompany it in check. "When that guy on the Boardwalk hurt you, I jumped right in without a single thought," he lied; infuriated by all of the steps he had taken to set her up. "When you had nowhere to go, who took you in?" David sighed.

"You did," she whispered.

He nodded, David's fury at Sable's insolence transferring to Domini for refusing him. "Yeah. When you need a ride to work, I take you. When I've got nothin' to do but sit around and wait for you, don't I?"

Domini swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes."

"And don't I provide whatever you need the second you want it; food, a place to sleep?" David felt himself losing his grip faster as he turned and pushed her back to the bed, covering Domini with the strength of his body.

"Yes," she quivered, trying to find the real reason he was angry with her.

The fearful look in her eye brought on his immediate arousal and he wished that Sable was still as easy to control. The Halfling's audacity was a difficult one to manage but Domini was still easily manipulated in the most gratifying way. He ground his hips into her, pinning the girl as he continued to adjust Domini's will.

"When I took you in, _and _Sable, did I treat either one of you any less than I do my own brothers?" David watched her barely move her head to concede and he was glad Domini had grown respectfully quiet. His voice hot against her ear, David placed each deliberate word inside. "_Every_ – _single_ - _time_ - your bared body has been in my presence," he whispered, "have I ever – _once_ – let you go unsatisfied?"

Domini squirmed beneath him, feeling the friction only seem to turn David on more. "No," she quietly admitted.

"No," he agreed, sliding his hands over her arms as he moved them over her head on the mattress. His growl fell over her lips. "So then why the _fuck_ are you treating me like it's too much to ask that you spend ten damn minutes with me?"

Stunned into silence, Domini could only stare up at the anger in David's eyes. She knew he was offended, expressing it in the only way he knew how. Still, it scared her. Even more, it infuriated her that he was turning her concern for Sable around to make her feel badly. Domini had never once been ungrateful to David. On the contrary, she practically worshipped the ground he walked on and had made no secret of it. She had misconstrued many things in her relationships as of late but she was not confused just then.

"Get _off_ of me," she snarled up at him.

David was taken aback and it took all of his strength not to move away from her biting words and the force behind them. "_Stay_ with me," he whispered over her.

She was not going to give in for once. He was not going to distract her with seduction as he had before and she was certainly not going to allow David to demand it. Domini had failed her friend and given David every moment of her spare time. If she could not please them both at the same time, it was at least Sable's turn.

"_Now_," she demanded.

His eyes narrowed with the realization that Domini was serious and she would not give into him. "Have it your way, princess," he frowned, climbing off her and leaving Domini to get up on her own. He moved across the room to the door and held it open, sweeping his hand through the air to usher her out.

Domini paused at the end of the bed for a moment, wondering if they really were not going to talk about the truth of what was bothering him. When David remained in place, she stood up and marched past him. "Fine."

"Second floor, last door," he snapped coldly.

She charged down the hall, David close behind her as they made their way up the back stairs. Domini's heart was racing by the time she reached the closed door. She turned the handle and walked right into the still locked door as David tried not to snicker behind her. She felt her face flush with embarrassment and took a deep breath, shaking it off.

"Sable? It's me, open the door."

Her friend's voice called out from the other side. "Go away, Dom. Not now."

It was not the reaction Domini was expecting. "I just want to make sure you're okay. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I don't want to talk right now," Sable snapped. "I'm still angry."

Domini did not understand at all. "This morning you wanted to hang out," she huffed, feeling ridiculous talking to a door. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Sable shouted. "Maybe it was the fever talking then. Physically I'm feeling better. Emotionally I feel worse," she growled. "You've got responsibilities so go take care of them. Just go to work and maybe we can talk when you get home."

That last word bit straight through Domini and David could see her flinch. The old hotel was no longer just a place to stay for Sable and she had clearly chosen a side; theirs. David was pleased by Sable's loyalty, especially in its timing and the way it punched Domini in the gut when he could not.

She turned around with wounded eyes that begged David for an answer that would make sense. Domini found only his frown.

He shook his head, seizing the opportunity as it presented itself, clearing the cloud of Domini's judgment against him for his earlier behavior. "I could have spared you this. I would have talked her down while you were at work; made her see that you're a good friend and that you never meant to hurt her. Who knows though? Maybe that's just what you do, pull people in and then push them away." He twisted the knife a little deeper, even as she recoiled with guilt. "But honestly, Domini. Right now _I'm_ not your biggest fan either." David tsked his tongue with disappointment before crossing him arms and leaning back against the wall with a scowl. "You should go to work. Wouldn't want to keep _Max_ waiting."

She backed right into the locked door, unable to move forward or backward or in any direction that would offer any comfort. "I didn't know you were trying to protect me, David," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter now," he sighed. "You should probably just go."

She knew that he had only half been trying to keep her from Sable's anger. The other half was his wounded pride from her choosing Max over him. She had not meant for any of it to happen that way but she always seemed to mess everything up.

Domini's eyes burned with the sting of tears. "Will you take me to work? Please?" she asked. Domini was willing to leave like David wanted but she hoped she could apologize somehow on the way.

He shook his head. "I think it'd be better if Dwayne took you in. I need some time to cool off." David gave his best impression of a hurt boyfriend and sulked away down the hall, listening to her softly follow behind him.

Downstairs in the Lobby, Dwayne sat on the arm of the couch, waiting patiently as he listened. "Come on, Dom," his deep voice resonated. "I got you, girl." He put his arm out to guide her toward the tunnel, casting a grimace back over his shoulder.

David wished that Paul had been the one downstairs instead of Dwayne. That look of disdain had been his brother's weak spot for a girl who did not know she was primed for the turning. David instantly regretted sending the two of them off together alone. It would not matter though. Dwayne would never betray him. He would offer a strong shoulder and a patient ear. David grinned, suddenly glad that at least he would not have to do it himself.

The howling scream that sounded through the old hotel from the cave's far reaches made him groan back to reality. He flew up the stairs, his feet never touching the ground as he swept to the door and pounded his fist against it until it opened.

Sable screamed again, yanking her bruising wrists against the ropes that tied her to the chair. To her dismay, the ropes did not budge any more than they had in the previous hours since she had awoken. To her relief, each contusion healed minutes after they formed.

"I hate you," Sable growled at David.

He made his way past Marko and Paul with a shrug as he lit up a smoke. "Is every chick in this cave on her fuckin' rag tonight?"

Paul's nose tipped up in the air as he shook his head. "Nope. Neither one."

Sable grimaced. "You're disgusting."

Laughing, Paul shrugged. "Nah, you're just too new to appreciate the draw." Her distaste amused him. "Just be grateful Marko didn't turn your fresh ass at the wrong time of the month. Imagine the hell of _that_ eternity," he snickered.

Sable rolled her eyes, wondering if she would spend an eternity right there in that damn room. "Fuck _me_," she groaned.

Paul smirked, leaning forward. "Not a very smart offer from a girl tied to a chair." He looked to the opposite corner of the room with a lick of his tongue over his wide grin. "What do _you_ think?"

The gagged teenager tied to her own chair squirmed in her seat as her tears matted her black hair to her flushed cheeks. Her whimpers continued as she tried to understand if she had been lured there to be raped or killed; or both. The bound redhead opposite her only added to her confusion as Sable watched her with devious eyes, despite her own predicament.

David snickered as he traced the back of his knuckle over the teenager's wet cheek and brought her tears to his tongue with a satisfied lick. "And what's _your_ name, sweetheart?"

Paul chuckled and made the introductions for the gagged girl. "David, meet Madison. Madi, David," he said in his most gentlemanly voice. "I met her outside The Black Bull during a break of the band's wicked set. I think she wanted the guitarist but she left with me instead," he laughed proudly.

Marko stood behind Sable, rubbing her shoulders with a lop-sided smile. "We brought her in here for insurance. One whiff of her blood pumping, a promise of a taste," he cooed, "and Sable's been pretty cooperative. She got rid of Domini damn quick."

"Good girls," David nodded with a grin. "I like it when everybody plays nice." He ran his fingers through Madi's dark hair, collecting it in his fist as he drew it back from her ear. David flicked at the dangling dagger earring she wore; watching its strands sway hypnotically in front of Sable's mesmerized eyes. "And I think Sable should be rewarded for helping, don't you, Madi?"

The girl shrunk back in her chair as Marko and Paul began to laugh excitedly. She cried harder as David grazed her neck with the pad of his thumb, unable to escape his touch. She shook her head, violently opposing whatever proposition he was making, knowing only that it would hurt.

David smiled, his head rising and falling slowly with a nod. "Yeah, I think she's earned it."

His fingers collected the silver ropes that dangled from her ear and David yanked it hard, tearing through the girl's earlobe as he tossed it to Paul to hang as an accessory on his jacket.

Madi screamed against the bandana in her mouth, her head falling forward as she writhed from the sharp pain. Blood dripped down her neck inside the collar of her Guns n' Roses t-shirt that she had bought earlier that night just to show off at the club.

Sable's nose rose in the air as she began to pant. Her temperature rose in an instant and small beads of sweat formed over her furrowed brow. "Please," she begged. "I can smell her! Gimmie a taste."

David lowered his smirk in front of Sable's starving eyes. "_Make_ me," he taunted her. "Oh wait, you _can't_."

Sable's growl became a pained howl as she regretted ever using those words against David. "I'm sorry, _okay_?" she shouted.

He stepped back with a laugh. "No, Sable. It is most definitely – _not_ - okay." David turned his back on Sable and looked at the bleeding girl. Madison's screams were annoyingly distracting and he was growing bored with them when there were so many more interesting things on the agenda. David balled his fist and backhanded Madison's cheek, knocking her out cold; his knuckle spraying the blood from her lip onto Sable's arm.

Sable's eyes blazed in burnt amber, widening as her pupils dilated and focused only on the droplets just beyond her reach. She struggled against her restraints while her thirsty tongue lashed at the air. Sable could feel the beaded sweat on her forehead run to the sides as her brow protruded ever so slightly, taking new shape. The flick of her tongue scraped sharply against a descending fang and stopped Sable cold as she felt it a second time, with curious purpose. She found it to be the useful tool it was, realizing how quickly it could tear through a soft casing of flesh that housed a sweet river beneath it.

"Please," Sable begged with a pained whimper. She could hear Madison's heart still pounding despite her unconscious state. It was a deafening blow to Sable's eardrums. Little relief came from the slowing of its beat as it continued to pump blood from the soft tissue of the torn cartilage of Madison's ear. "I _need_ it," Sable seethed, her stomach caving in with starvation.

Paul and Marko looked to David with anxious eyes, waiting to see his response. They found him still cool and collected, a clear plan behind those dark eyes.

He shrugged. "Nah. I think I'll just go out and leave you here to think about what you've done," David smiled. "Don't wait up," he mocked, using Sable's own words to fire her up. "I'll try not to wake you when I come home."

"Nooo!" Sable screamed, thrashing in her chair until it started to fall over. Marko grabbed it and straightened her back up, holding her still. "I need it now! Give her to me!" Sable howled in a desperate order. "Now!"

David only smiled with amusement. "Or _what_?"

She had to concede and Sable was willing to do absolutely anything David wanted just to get a taste of the girl bleeding before her. "I'm sorry," she panted, crying harder. "I'm sorry, David, okay? I'll listen. I'll do whatever you tell me to. I'll be good," Sable promised as the hunger tore through her aching body. She was racked with pain and need, salvation only feet away from her. "Please, David! You win! Just..._please_!"

He snickered, reaching out to tip her chin up so Sable's amber eyes could see his. David frowned, watching Sable writhe in pain, knowing how much it hurt. "No." He smiled, stepping away to let her scream and tremble.

"_Why_?" Sable screamed. "Why did you make me this way if you won't let me feed? I said I give up! You've won!"

David spun back around, gripping the sides of Sable's chair and pushing it across the room until its back hit the wall with a hard slam. He snarled with a roar, "Because this isn't a fucking game, you stupid bitch!"

Sable stared up at him in silence, watching Marko and Paul fill in the gap behind him. Their concern cautioned her that the time to apologize was over and she should keep her mouth shut from that moment on. The fury in David's eyes warned her that they were right. Sable could hear the creak of the wooden chair as he squeezed it in his unrelenting grip. She stilled herself as best she could and stared into David's eyes, giving him her full attention.

The curl of his lip snarled softly as his jaw clenched, barely releasing the words of his growl. "Don't tell me I win like you have so much as a fucking chance to play." David was so close to Sable that it was hard to focus on her eyes.

Her nervous breath bounced back off his clenched lips, cooling the flush over her face. She did not dare move a muscle, even as each one collapsed with dehydration for the one thing in the room that could revive them. She kept her eyes on David's; meeting him there with all of the presence of her mind she could muster in that moment.

Satisfied she was in a more submissive condition to listen, David continued. "You will learn your place, Sable. You're fresh but you can _still_ spoil," he fumed with warning. "I will toss your bound body out into the first rays of sun just long enough to wither and rot, and drag you in slowly before you can decay into dust." The low growl of his whisper promised the delivery of every image he swore. "I will sit in the fucking dark of that tunnel with you, charring a fucking steak on the heat of your skin until you heal – only to kick you back into the light just to watch it happen again."

Marko chewed the leather knuckle of his glove, shifting his weight back and forth between his anxious feet. "C'mon, man. She gets it," he urged softly.

"_Does_ she?" David whipped his head around with a glare. He faced Sable again as Paul pulled her Sire back from interfering any further. "Once you've fed, you _will_ turn. You will be harder to kill but you _can_ die," he made very clear.

David gripped the back of Sable's neck and pulled her forward, their foreheads smashing together as their eyes locked. Sable's tears spilled down David's cheeks as his growl brushed her trembling lips to make sure that his words became hers. "And you _will_ suffer beyond reason if you _ever_ fucking raise your pitiful voice to me again."

Too afraid to even use her voice in agreement with David, she remained silent. Sable's wide eyes were fixed on his, her body language begging to Marko to pull him back from her. She could not see her Sire, only David's angry face obstructing her entire view. She could hear Marko behind him though, the leather of his glove twisting between his teeth. Sable could feel his nervous desperation to help her, but she knew he would not intervene.

He had tried to warn her at the beach house when they were alone, while the others had descended over the party, leaving no survivors to witness their attendance. She had not understood then, even as Marko had pulled rank. He had tried to spare Sable from the deadlock she and David were currently in. It was a hand she had forced by challenging the King of the court she now stood in judgment before. She should have listened. Sable was listening in that moment.

David moved back from the cowering eyes before him, just far enough so that he could see Sable bite her lip to stop its tremble. "You asked me what you were turned for," he growled at the lowest decibel. "Do you still want to know?"

There was an angry tease in his voice that Sable was sure she would have missed if she had not been so in tune with him in that moment. Sable knew better that time than to answer him. It was a test she would not fail. Her only response was a long, slow blink that submissively broke the stare between them.

A smile tucked away at the corner of David's lips as he nodded. "Good girl."

He could have stood up straight again, walked around the room as her eyes obediently followed his every move. Instead, David remained before her, a front row seat to Sable's coming realization he was not yet ready to relinquish.

"Marko?" he said expectantly, one brow arching over his steel blue eye.

Paul backed slowly away from his brother, moving behind him and gripping the bedpost as he swung himself up over the edge of the bed. He crouched at the foot, perching with a grin for a view of his own as Marko stepped forward to pause over David's shoulder.

"Every gift has its strings, love," Marko smiled.

She listened to Marko's voice as it reached out for her from behind David's all consuming presence before her. She took comfort in the smile in her Sire's voice, feeling it wrap around her with arms that could not reach. Sable already knew that she was bound to him, to all of them. Something in the playful tone of Marko's voice raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck, even as his musical voice sang to her with that grin.

For the first time, Sable could hear the warnings in their voices she had never detected before, but was keenly aware of at last. She and Domini had been so stupid not to hear those underlying cautions in the past. The difference then was, only one of them was still stupid enough not to notice them anymore.

"We've all been given a gift," Marko continued. "We are all bound by those strings that tether us to one another. But only one man holds the ends so they can never fray," he grinned.

Marko watched Sable's unbreakable stare, glad she was too afraid to look away from who she believed to be the puppet master. Sable needed to believe it was David, so she would respect him as the god she should fear.

"Those strings tether us to this pack," Marko nodded. "But _your_ string, Sable..." Marko's grin twisted to the side as he licked his lips just to savor the last moment before she knew what they had all been working toward for so long. "_Your_ string, my love...is a _leash_." His snicker nearly drowned the last word he wanted her to hear more than any other. As Sable's eyes widened and shot to Marko's, he was reassured that she had heard him with perfect clarity.

David gripped Sable's face with a dominating hand and turned her back to his smirk. "You may feel like a shark _now_, sugar...but you've _always_ been the bait."

"Not so much to me," Marko laughed. "I mean, we're all bound but you and I _especially_ have bonded," he winked.

Paul bounced excitedly at his perch. "You and I bonded some too. You just don't remember it," he laughed.

Her eyes shot between them, each statement bringing startling realizations but even more questions she was too in shock to ask. Her stare returned to David, knowing that he was where her answers would lie.

David was pleased with her allegiance. "Even with his voice in your ear, you _know_ where to turn, don't ya, darlin," he grinned. "Is that because you know I can turn you inside out?" David grazed his knuckle along her jaw, sweeping his hand over her ear to trace it back down her neckline. He moved slowly across her barely beating heart and drew his fingertip over the curve of her breast as he smirked. "I can turn you inside out in a number of ways, Sable. It doesn't have to hurt. But it can," he reminded her with a pinch that hardened her nipple through her shirt. "Somewhere deep down," David cooed, releasing her and continuing to move his hand down her body until he cupped between her thighs. "Deeper still," he snickered, pushing the palm of his hand harder until she clamped her thighs around his wrist. "Maybe your body even remembers how good I can make it feel...even if you don't." David laughed as he watched her jaw clench.

Sable did not know if her body was responding to him because of their shared blood coursing through her or due to the heightened state of every cell in her body. Her mind flashed back to the previous night, standing in the closet with Marko's hands all over her, David's smirk reaching out for her, like he already intimately knew every fiber that burned inside her.

"You're here to please," David grinned. "And you can spend eternity down on your knees, crawling in a heel behind us...or you can embrace the honor no girl has ever lived long enough to know."

Marko leaned down over David's shoulder, coveting his view. "You're the one, Sable," he smirked. "You're the one we can all agree on." He moved languidly around the chair she was tied to, running his fingers along the ropes. Marko stood behind her and pulled the curtain of fiery hair back from the nape of her neck as he suckled her paling flesh. "You're still my girl, baby," Marko whispered. "But what's mine is theirs."

"So what's yours is ours." David smirked, feeling her heat against his hand ignite.

Paul snickered from the side, lighting a joint to enhance his excited arousal. "We're gonna' have so much fun together, Sable. We'll run wild through this town and you'll own a part of it. Santa Carla will bow at _your_ feet, just as you kneel at _ours_," he grinned.

In any other world than the one Sable had been thrust into, she would have fought tooth and nail against them, or at least run for the hills. In her new world though, Sable could feel her blood pump harder at the call of their voices to her. Her temperature burned beyond capable measure as their eyes fixated over her. Was it really even a price to pay, having four beautiful beings more powerful than anything in the world, wanting her? With no soul to argue against it and her mind clouded over with instinctive drive, Sable could only follow the feelings that remained; lust, hunger and power.

She tilted her head to the side, offering Marko more of what his tongue already claimed. She watched Paul hungrily licking his lips, his entire focus solely over her. Sable did not feel like a pet on a leash. She was a submissive giving in to her dominant admirers. Sable was wanted, desperately, and it empowered her further. They could have taken what they wanted but they were offering her a place among them. They had chosen her above every girl who had come before her, including Domini. Sable parted her thighs, accepting their invitation, and gave David full access to the target he was firmly rubbing against.

"Bravo!" David cheered, watching Sable finally close her eyes and break their stare. It was not to shut them out. It was to grant herself permission, for the first purely conscious time, to let them in.

Stirring from the sudden outburst, Madi slowly came to. Her eyes fluttered, waking from a nightmare only to find it still playing out around her. She pulled focus over the two men groping and suckling at the only other girl in the room; a girl who was not screaming like Madi was about to.

"Oh my God," she whimpered, unable to accept what she was seeing, terrified by the realization that she would be next. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" Her eyes widened as they tore at Sable's clothes, ripping the shreds from behind the ropes. "Oh my God!" she screamed.

David slowly withdrew his head from between Sable's thighs and turned back to the screaming girl with a glistening grin, revealing his true face. He could actually hear the air pull out of Madi's lungs, suffocating her in a shocking instant. David opened his fiery eyes wider to match hers and spat a single mocking order with a smirk. "_Breathe_."

Madi gasped, feeling like she might suck all of the air out of the room. As soon as her lungs were full, she let out a harrowing scream that vibrated the air all around her.

Paul cackled beside her, tilting his head in jerking motions as he showed his unnatural face to her in every angle the firelight could cast. He took a long drag and blew the smoke into Madi's face, laughing harder as she choked mid-scream. Paul dragged her chair in front of the end of the bed he perched on, gripping the tied trunk of her body in his arms as he dropped his joint in favor of the more powerful drug she was to him.

Kneading Sable's supple breasts from behind her, Marko pulled at the ropes that bound her, moaning as the taut twine rubbed her bared flesh. He smiled over her, watching her lick at her lips, facing the girl she knew was there to be hers, just as Sable was theirs.

"You're ready, aren't ya, baby?" he cooed in her ear, brushing his lips against it.

Sable squirmed against her restraints, wanting to rip through them. "Yes," she moaned, already tasting the blood she could smell.

"Just one more thing, sugar," David grinned up at Sable. "And I'm afraid it's a _big_ fucking thing," he snickered. "Before you sink your teeth into that sweet little thing over there, I want to elaborate on something."

Sable did not care what it was, so long as she could devour the feast in front of her. She minded David's call for her attention though, her eyes darting between her meal and her master.

"There's one other girl worthy of this pack," he smiled, watching Sable's eyes settle only over him. "What?" he laughed.

She felt the growl rise inside despite how hard she fought it off. "You said I was the only one."

He shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "That hunger has you hearing only what you want to, sugar. We said you're the only one we can all agree on." David smirked. "But that's because _she's_ going to be _mine_. Mostly," he cocked his head to his brothers' smiles. "She's special. And that makes her worthy of a place at my side."

Sable had thought that _she_ was special. They had made it sound like an honor, one that Sable was not ready to accept it would not be. They had brought Sable into their pack, bestowed their gift upon her, shared their secret and offered her an eternity with them. Who could be more special to them than her? David's words burned in her memory.

_You may feel like a shark now, sugar...but you've always been the bait._

The fury scorched through Sable as realization slowly dawned on her. "_Domini_," she seethed, wishing she had eaten her on the beach instead of the consolation prize she was being offered in that room. "That's why you wouldn't let me touch her!" Sable shouted. "What the fuck makes _her_ so god-damned special?" she demanded.

David smiled, unphased. "Death wouldn't have her...so that I could."

"So – _eat_ - her," Sable said with such simplicity that it made them all laugh.

He shook his head. "I don't want to drain her, Sable. I want to _own_ her." He reached out, brushing Sable's hair back while Madison continued to scream behind him. "Don't be jealous, darlin. Just as you're Marko's, Domini will be mine."

Rage ripped through Sable as she tried to comprehend what it meant for her. In the hierarchy of the pack, David ruled them all. If Domini was his, she would reign at his side.

"I won't answer to her," Sable growled. She had done that enough as a mortal.

As Marko started to move to warn her, David held up his hand, stopping him. "You _won't_ answer to her, Sable." He glared into her eyes, reminding her of her place. "You will _fucking_ answer to **me**."

She settled back into her chair, trying to absorb it all. There was at least some comfort in knowing that she and Domini both would be at the lower end of the totem pole. It was still a slap in the face for her though.

Sensing her disappointment, Marko kissed Sable's neck. "Don't take it to heart, baby. It's barely beating as it is," he smiled.

Paul grinned. "I swear to ya, honey – you and I can paint this town red while they're behind closed doors." He gave her a nod with his cocky smirk. "Startin' tonight with the girl right over there who's definitely gonna be beneath ya."

David settled on the floor between her thighs, playing a finger between them as he looked back at Madi's screaming mouth. He tilted his head up, resting against Sable's knee with a smirk. "Yes?" he hissed, awaiting her approval as she tightened around his knuckle inside her.

Trembling and straining against the ropes, Sable ached to be free so she could tear across those last few feet and shred the girl's flesh that called to her. Madi's blood was pumping against her skin, begging for release. Sweat glistened over Sable's entire body as she ignited with anticipation for that sweet taste to pour over her tongue.

"Yes," Sable moaned, willing to accept all of the contingencies that came with the power they were offering her. If she could not be the only girl in the pack, Sable could still lord her power over every other girl she came in contact with. She could inflict pain with prowess. There was nothing lowly about that. "Yes," she confirmed with conviction. "Please," Sable pleaded, knowing full well that she would have to be granted permission to feed and turn and she was more than willing to beg for it.

David grinned, listening to Madi's fear reach a fever pitch in her scream. "Paul," he nodded. "Get the tarp. This old floor will never release the blood she's going to spill."

Sable moaned louder, writhing against her restraints as Paul leapt to the floor and pulled the long roll of a plastic tarp from the closet. He shook it out and let it uncurl across the room like a grand red carpet that had yet to be stained in its destined color. Sable could see it already though. The only thing she could see was red.

Lighting a smoke between the smirking curl of his lips, David slipped out from between Sable's thighs, hanging over her knee as he watched Paul prep the room.

"Please don't do this!" Madison screamed. "Please! I'll do anything you want! Oh my God!" she cried as Paul flattened out the corners of the plastic tarp, preparing for her slaughter. The girl's words ran together in a desperate screaming plea. "OhmyGodpleasenoIdon'twannadie!" She began to hyperventilate, her heart pounding so hard she prayed for a heart attack to take her more quickly and painlessly than however she was about to die.

David smiled up at the girl in the chair and nodded to Paul. "Let her go."

Madi's scream stifled in her lungs, praying for the reprieve she could swear she had just heard. Her breath hitched to silence as she stared from one monstrous face to the next...waiting.

With a flick of his nail, Paul cut through one rope with ease, watching Madi's waist begin to swivel over the chair. He cut through the second rope just beneath her heaving breasts, disappointed that he would never get to cop a feel. Paul shrugged his shoulders with a laugh and took advantage of a squeezing handful before stepping back to watch Madison wriggle her way out of the last of the ropes.

She had to slip down the chair to free herself of the highest rope. The split second that Madi hit the floor, she scrambled to her feet and stumbled up into a crawling run for the door. Paul backed further away from her, blocking the door as the crying girl begged at his feet, clawing at his leg to let her pass. Every ounce of her will was focused on getting through that door, out of that room – until the twisted sound of gnawing behind her made Madi freeze and slowly turn.

David and Marko chewed through the ropes that bound Sable, holding her back from her one true desire. She was licking her lips and thrusting her body at the ropes, trying desperately to aid the boys in breaking her free. Years from that moment, Sable would still never be certain if she had heard the ropes break first or had felt them release her. The only thing she knew was that she was gliding through the air with her nails outstretched, like a vulture, to claim what was rightfully hers.

The boys spread out as soon as Sable moved. Marko flew straight back up into the window, standing tall on the sill, blocking the moonlight to shield the room in darkness. He wanted Sable to know the abilities of the nocturnal predator they had made her as she clawed behind the running girl. David leapt backward onto the old dresser in the corner of the room, perching on its sturdy base as he looked down on the forming murder scene, admiring how quickly Sable moved after the darting screamer. Paul shot past the door, knowing that Sable would never let her reach it. He jumped to the bed, hanging down over the room from the post as he cheered Sable on with encouraging howls of laughter. Paul's first kill still remained freshly embedded in his mind. He felt deeply honored to be there as a witness to share in the thrill of their pack's newest member's turn.

"Get her, girl!" Paul laughed.

Sable grappled at the clothes she tore from the teenager's nimble body. She snatched at the air and clawed at the floor each time she narrowly missed the girl, each place clinging to Madison's scent as she abandoned them. Sable could hear the boys chanting, giving her confidence her instinct did not need, but her bond cherished.

_"__Kill, kill, kill, taste, feed, Sable, Sable, Sable!" _

Sable's body slammed into the wall as she gripped Madison's ankle, tripping the screaming girl who slid past her across the floor. Sable's nails dug into the firm calves she pulled her way up, dragging the teenager toward her. She could smell the blood breaking through skin but Sable would not settle for anything less than the protruding vein at the girl's neck that pulsed with more blood than it could hold. She was over her in a final flash, the whooping hollers filling the room as loud as the teenager's screams.

Sable pinned her down with almost effortless triumph, and drew her head back to bare her fangs, the only weapon she would ever need. She drew a final breath, fully aware even in the intensity of that moment that it would be her last, and sunk her fangs into the tender flesh of the ripest thing she had ever tasted. Sable squeezed the girl tighter in her grasp, loving how her gurgled scream pushed the blood harder to the fountain at her lips. She suckled with vigor, her fangs tearing wider sources for her tongue to lap the rich blood that flowed to fill her. Sable could feel her body strengthen as the girl weakened. She heard the slowing pulse as she ripped through layers of flesh, not ready for it to end and wanting only to be inside the fountain as it poured over her. Feeling the blood running over Sable's body, she did not fret over the waste that bathed her naked flesh. There was plenty to go around and still drown her senses. Both of their hearts were slowing to a complete stop and it was a rushing thrill to die along side her first kill. Every cell in Sable's body awakened, tingling with arousal and the deepest ecstasy she had ever known.

The boys grew quiet, listening to Sable panting over the body, breath she was too new to understand she no longer needed. There were no heartbeats left in that room; only the soft, satisfied panting of the girl who had risen to the pride of their pack.

The boys descended to her side, surrounding Sable as they reached for her, sliding her sticky body between them. They groped her blood-soaked flesh, sharing the dead girl's blood among the group and painting each other in it. They hoisted Sable up, a bloodied newborn in their arms. They would wrap the dead girl's carcass in the tarp and dispose of her together. They would carry Sable to the ocean to cleanse her, all so they could redress her like the doll she was to them. It was time to go out onto the Boardwalk to feed as a full pack. It was a night for celebration.

David wondered if Domini would take to her turning as well as Sable had. He was anxious to move things along and bring her home where she belonged. Their pack was almost complete. Sable was theirs and she would help them in every way they asked until Domini was one of them. David smirked with gratification and tossed his cigarette down to the stained tarp below, listening to it extinguish with a fizzle in a pool of the teenaged girl's blood.

**_Anyone in the mood to share? I'd love to know what's on your mind. Xo Harley_**


	18. Chapter 18

**~ Chapter 18 ~**

**_Thank you Savanna, CK, Guest and Private Messengers! I'm so glad you're enjoying the characters and the changes they're attempting and going through. Lol I appreciate that you enjoyed Domini sticking up for herself too! I nearly killed her off while writing this chapter on Saturday because I couldn't take her giving in one more minute. So a special thanks to Stormy Sorrow, (and Dwayne), for talking me down off the ledge I was going to throw her from! It really would have ended the whole storyline. Lol I'm much happier now that she's getting back her strength and I hope you will be too. And thank you for loving Sable! She needs some support after all she's been through. I'm excited to write her as the powerful vixen she deserves to be. But let's not forget about those boys we hate to love but love to hate. There will be something for everyone, I hope! Thank you!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The end of the Boardwalk was the start of the night for the bustling crowds as they flocked toward the main stage. The band had everyone moving and the bass shook the boards all the way down the block to where Domini sat side-saddled on Dwayne's bike. He leaned against the lamppost with a dark, brooding frown as she sat with a sullen bow of her head.

"Maybe we should just go," Dwayne sighed, hungry and bored. They had been waiting for over an hour.

She shook her head but did not raise it. "Max wouldn't just not show up. Something must be wrong."

Dwayne was the most introspective member of the pack but he was far from introverted. He wanted to make a little mischief, not dwell with Domini. He pitied her morose attitude, seeing it for the wasted time it was. Just then, she was wasting his time and that did not sit well with him at all.

"You need to knock this shit out, girl."

Her head shot upward to meet his face; sure she had not just heard what Dwayne had said. "You too?" she huffed. "What did I do to you?"

He sighed. "Nothing." Thinking better of it, Dwayne corrected, "No, ya know what? You did. You're boring the hell outta me, Dom."

"Jesus!" she threw her arms up. "Is there anyone I don't piss off at any given moment? I can't please anyone."

He grimaced at her. "I'm being honest with you because I think you could use a shot of truth. And what you just said? That's your biggest problem right there."

"Pissing everyone off? Yeah, I'm getting that," Domini rolled her eyes.

Dwayne's deep voice offered a candid piece of advice. "No, that you're trying to please everyone. Do you know what drew David to ya in the first place?" He had to watch how honest he was going to be but the girl needed a wake-up call. "Your independence, Dom. You had fire in you. Ya stood out because you were standing for something." He watched the people aimlessly wander along the Boardwalk in front of Max's empty storefront. "Just look at em. They're sheep, Dom. Know what the difference is between crowds and herds? Direction. And you had it for a hot minute. Then you got so wrapped up in David that _you_ unraveled."

It was the absolute most that Domini had ever heard come out of Dwayne's mouth. "I thought you were his friend," she said softly.

"I am," he said with firm conviction. "And I'm trying to be yours right now. Quit sulking and trying to make everybody get along. You're not responsible for Sable. _She_ is. You don't owe David any favors and you're not doing him one by following his lead."

Domini felt a sting from his judgments. "What do you think I should do then?" she asked in frustration.

"I think you should quit asking what you should do and just _do_ something; _anything_!" Dwayne had not meant to shout at her and he adjusted his tone as Domini's face softened with remorse. "Look, girl," he offered as gently as he could. "Ya just need to stop thinkin' so much. Have a good time. You're at the damn beach," he laughed, "but your head ain't on vacation! Look around, sweetheart. Everybody's havin' a good time but you."

"I'm not on vacation, Dwayne!" she protested. "This is my life! David's mad at me, Sable's not just slipping away but _pulling_ away and my job has caution tape barring me from going inside!"

He looked her over and nodded. "You're right. Your life sucks." He waited for her eyes to widen along with her smile. "There it is," Dwayne grinned. "Feels good to say it sucks and then move on, doesn't it?"

Domini did not want to admit it any more than she wanted to laugh about it. "Maybe," she bit the corner of her grin.

"Don't lie. It does," he laughed. "But you're focusing on all the wrong things." Dwayne moved beside her to sit on the saddle of his bike. "Sable is just trying to figure out who she is, separate from you. You two grew up together, real fast, yeah?" He watched her nod with understanding. "Alright, well who would you be without Sable?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly, neither does she. Sable's gonna keep on changing as time goes by. She's gonna try on different personalities to see which traits stick. You two never did the teenager thing. You went from kids to nomads and you missed out on all the in-betweens. You've got a leg up on every other girl out here though. You've got friends in us, Dom. You've got a place to stay and a job...sort of," he laughed. "Ya need to stop worrying so much and worry about yourself instead," he encouraged with a smile.

"If I had something to hold onto, I could," she insisted, getting up from his bike. "It seems like everything changes from one minute to the next and I can't keep up with anyone." Domini frowned, "David's really mad at me."

"David's not mad. He's getting weighed down by your worry. You can't make your insecurities his, girl. He doesn't _have_ any."

He tossed back his dark mane. "The downfall of every girl in history who has tried to tame a rebel is that she tries to change him." Dwayne shook his head, having seen it a thousand times. "They take everything that attracted them to him in the first place and try to tone it down. But that just doesn't make any sense and it never works. David's never gonna be the guy who rides the Ferris Wheel and holds your hand, Dom. He's never gonna grow old with you," he said with pure honesty, "and sit on a porch swing watching the sun set. He thrives on power and exhilaration. And if that's not what you're gonna be into for the rest of your life, you better wise up to that right now."

He did not want to talk Domini out of her feelings for David. He only wanted to shed some light on them before it was too late for her.

"But if you really are the little spitfire we met here who doesn't take any shit, I think we'd all like to see her come back around," he grinned. "You want to be by David's side through the wildest adventure any girl has ever known, then saddle up, girl," he grinned, patting the leather seat of his bike. "Ya just gotta get fired up like ya were before you got all tangled up. There's somebody waiting for ya at home. There's nothin' for ya here, Dom," he nodded toward the broken store front.

A tall, well built man in his early twenties stepped up from behind Dwayne with a smile. He adjusted his thin black glasses and rubbed at the stubble on his cheeks. "Hey, are you Domini?"

She peered past Dwayne, looking around. It seemed absurd to be approached when she did not know anyone in Santa Carla. He was young and good looking though and nothing about him implied that he was a cop. Intrigued, Domini took a chance.

"Um, yeah?" she almost laughed.

He took his hat off, rubbing his hand over his shaved head. "I'm late. I was supposed to meet you here half an hour ago. Sorry. I'm Evan."

She looked up at Dwayne's dark eyes as his brow furrowed. "I'm Domini. This is Dwayne," she said with a soft smile and a shrug.

"Hey man," Evan extended his hand.

Dwayne just stared down at it with a mixture of confusion and indifference.

"Okay," he laughed, looking back to the girl on the bike. "Well, so Max sent me. He recruited me to help you out. I guess we're supposed to box up everything we can salvage. Maria and her brother are gonna use his truck to cart it off to storage tomorrow so my contracting company can get to work."

"You own a company?" she asked. Evan did not look old enough. He had ambitious eyes but everything else about him was very laid back.

He shrugged. "My old man does. I'm kind of inheriting it. Pretty good with my hands," he grinned with charm.

Dwayne looked to Domini, knowing she could not possibly be buying into the guy. He grimaced over the smile she returned for Evan. No, this would not do at all.

"Too bad," Dwayne said, his deep tone dominating the moment. "We were just leaving."

"Oh," Evan said with confused disappointment, his eyes fixated on Domini as he ignored the other man. "Max had said you were into helping him out."

"I am," Domini nodded, giving Evan a smile. "I'm _definitely_ interested."

Dwayne grimaced. "Eddie? Can ya give us a minute?"

The man laughed. "It's Evan."

"Was it?" Dwayne said flatly.

"Still is," he smiled, unaffected. "And sure. I'll just go get a look around inside. See what we're up against."

Dwayne eyed Domini as she watched the man walk toward the store. "What the hell are you doin?"

She grinned up at him. "Exactly what you said. Getting my fire back."

"Or getting burned," he warned her. "This is _not_ the way to get David's attention. It's a real quick way to get Evan hurt though." It was not that he cared at all what happened to the contractor but Dwayne was very concerned over what a public kill would do for Max's business; and in return, what it would bring upon all of them. "I don't think you have any idea what you're doing."

She laughed. "Didn't you just tell me to stop thinking so much and just have fun?"

"Not like this!"

Domini smiled, patting his shoulder. "Do something; _anything_. That's what you said," she grinned. "This is something that David will respond to. You were so right, Dwayne," she gushed, seeing so clearly then. "David wanted me because at first he couldn't have me. Now he's got me but I've been so focused on _him_, I stopped being _me_. He's not the only one in demand on this Boardwalk." Domini tossed him a smile as she walked away toward the flashlight moving inside the dark shop. She turned back with a wink. "Thanks, Dwayne – for everything!"

He watched her leave as he dropped helplessly onto the seat of his bike. "He's gonna fuckin stake me for this."

"I won't lie Dwayne," Max said, approaching him with a smile from the side. "That's a very real possibility."

He sighed. "What are you up to, Max?"

"Ohhhh, about three points above David," he grinned. "I too would like to thank you for the part you played tonight in helping Domini spark up that inner fire again."

Dwayne swung his leg over his bike and dug out his key to leave with a shake of his head. "She's using him, Max. It don't mean a thing."

"Oh but you see," Max mused, "I'm using him too. Evan's a nice young man. He knows how to treat a girl right. He's a good listener and he'll lend a patient ear to Domini. He listened to everything _I_ put in his head," he boasted.

Scowling at the two of them inside the store, laughing about something Dwayne did not care enough to eavesdrop on, he shook it off. "Won't matter. It's David she wants and it's David she needs," he smiled with confidence.

Max shrugged with a sly grin. "But it's Evan she can _have_. He's the kind of guy who will ride the Ferris Wheel with her; hold her hand," he smirked. "Hell, he's capable of sitting on a porch swing and watching the sun set beside her."

Dwayne's face drained as he closed his eyes. "_Shit_," he growled, realizing Max had been listening the whole time. Dwayne had played right into Max's hands, without even knowing it.

"Run along, son." Max looked toward the crowds still moving toward the stage. "I think I'll do the same; give those kids some time alone together so Evan can work." He turned back, adding, "But I doubt David will have the time to come running. Sable's on the verge of a very messy situation right now."

Kickstarting his bike, Dwayne opened himself up to the pull of danger three miles down the beach. He revved the engine and skidded into a turn as he headed back toward the ocean and into the darkness, his headlight trained on the destination he could not reach fast enough.

Spraying a sheet of sand from the halt of Dwayne's bike, he threw it down and leapt across it toward the massacre of blood and bodies under the tip of the pier. "What the hell happened?" he asked Paul, the only one of his brothers not holding Sable down as she clawed and spit with feral vigor.

Paul shook his head, casting a pouting glance back at the rabid girl. "Turns out Sable doesn't share. I thought she'd be fun but she's _not_. She's _selfish_!" he spat back at her.

"She did this? All of this?" Dwayne frowned at the three bodies lying broken and torn on the beach, their blood soaking into the sand.

He nodded. "Yeah, by _herself_!" he glared at Sable.

"What the hell were you all doing while she was tearin' through 'em?"

Paul frowned at Marko. "Trying to catch up."

Marko gripped Sable harder on the ground as she fought them. "What was I supposed to do? One minute she was on the back of my bike as we rode 'em down and the next she was running beside me, and then past me. She knew she wasn't gonna get hurt jumping off."

Dwayne rolled his eyes. "So while I'm out trying to convince Domini to stop dehydrating herself from crying, you can't hold back a freshie from a frenzy feed?"

"That's a lot of F's man," Paul frowned, lighting a joint to calm himself. "A real tongue twister."

David dug his nails into Sable's arm until she whimpered into a controllable position. "So you _were_ able to get Domini to quit her bitchin' and get back on board?"

Dwayne bit his lip. "So – what're we gonna do about Sable here?" He moved over to the bodies. "We can't have a loose cannon in our arsenal."

"No we can't!" Paul frowned, pacing in his disappointment. "The fat one was supposed to be mine, Dwayne," he pouted. "His blood smelled like powdered jelly donuts. You know how much I like sugar, Dwayne," he sighed.

"I know man," he sympathized, placing a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

Marko nodded, twisting his body and slinging his leg over Sable as he straddled her. "I think it's time we show Sable what she's been missing. Knock her down a notch."

"Good idea, Marko," David mused, lighting a smoke as he sat in the sand beside them. "Why don't you fill in those holes we dug out of her," he grinned. "Take a step back, boys. She's about to go through the five stages of grief." He smirked, taking a smooth drag. "Starting with stage one, denial. It'll be hard to deny it once you've seen what _we_ have though," he snickered.

"What the h-," Sable paused. She corrected the tone she was about to use with David. "What are you talking about?"

Ignoring her, David continued. "Stage two will bring anger. Pretty useless since it's us you're up against. Then comes stage three, bargaining. Of course you can't barter with the past," he grinned.

Paul shook his head. "Depression won't be a pretty sight. But you'll know how I feel right now," he grimaced at the dead fat man, who looked like a spilled jelly donut himself.

"I want to know what you're talking about," Sable argued. "Grief over what?"

"Over what we took from you," Marko grinned. "Over everything we've done to you. What we don't have to do to you anymore now that you're going to give us everything we want," he smirked. A small part of him wanted Sable to know for the simple fact that it was his fault she was not firing on all four cylinders to begin with. "It's important that you know everything – and properly mourn the mortal you used to be." A reminder of her former humanity might be just the thing to knock some sense and healthy fear back into her.

Marko placed his hands on the sides of Sable's head. He smiled over her as he slightly thrust against her just thinking about the images he was going to share with Sable. He locked his eyes over hers; flooding her mind with all of the memories they had torn out of her, filling the gaps with every dirty thing they had done to her.

Sable saw it all through Marko's eyes; their first night in the cave when he had twisted her body into every position he desired, bruising her thighs and making her beg for more as she cried. Sable watched herself wrap her mouth around David's cock, sucking Domini's taste from him as they laughed at her. She could see David holding her over his lap in the wheelchair, his fingers deep inside her as she begged to die, watching those girls bleed as she came. She saw Marko's point of view as he held her over the ocean, begging for her life, even as he dropped her and then made her believe they had spent the night together in a romantic embrace. Sable watched them taking turns with her, Max's face becoming Paul's as he fucked her dry, screaming around the knob gagged in her mouth.

Paul danced in a circle around them, excitedly waiting for Sable's movie to end. He did not want there to be any secrets between them. Paul liked Sable and he was looking forward to passing down to her all of the things his brothers had taught him. He wanted Sable to understand her place though so that she would stop eating off his plate.

Marko could feel Sable trembling underneath him as he broke their connection with a grin. The tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes and he realized that he had almost missed Sable whimpering beneath him. It was different now that she was his, but fear would never stop turning him on. It was in his nature just as much as Sable was. He rubbed into her harder, welcoming her back to the present.

Sable's hands balled into fists in front of her clenched eyes and her twisted face. Her body shook as her mouth opened toward the sky, no sound able to escape from lungs that did not work anymore.

Marko frowned, having thought he would feel better once Sable knew everything. He had only meant to pull the plug on her power trip. Since she had fed and fully turned, Sable seemed unstoppable and he needed her to understand that she was immortal, not invincible. But seeing her crying beneath him, her shaking body vibrating through him, Marko wished he had left those holes in her mind unfilled. His regret was amplified as Marko watched her tremble erupt; her silent gaping mouth propelling maniacal laughter. It was only then that Marko realized she had been crying from laughing so hard.

"What the fuck is so funny?" David muttered, watching the unexpected reaction that had all four of them listening for an answer that made sense.

She began to choke on her howl, laughing emphatically as the tears poured faster. "Are you serious?" Sable cackled.

Marko slid off of her, not to give her space, but to give himself some so he could get away from her.

Sable sat up as she wiped her eyes, still laughing too hard to get the words out. "What's _wrong_ with her?" she chortled.

David shook his head at the others as they looked to him in shock. "Not the reaction I was expecting either."

"You sure you showed her the right memories?" Paul asked.

"Yes!" Marko snapped. He turned back to Sable with a confused glare. "Why are you laughing?" he demanded.

She dabbed at her eyes, looking to each of their confused faces, which only made her laugh harder. "How did you stand her for so long?" Sable whimpered with a giggle.

Seeing herself through Marko's eyes only split her more from the feeble creature she had once been. There was no connection at all to the human that Sable could not stomach having ever been before. That was another girl, from another life; a stranger she loathed.

"She's _pathetic_!" Sable's tone became wrought with mockery, "Ohh, please, help!" She held her sides as they ached. "You should have eaten that dumb bitch when you had the chance. So _many_ chances wasted!" Sable laughed.

Paul frowned. "Um, I think she's moved straight through the stages to acceptance."

David growled, not sure if he was more angry or confused. "You do realize that the stupid bitch you're laughing at is you, right?"

Her laugh halted in her throat as she turned to David with a gleam in her glare. "_Not anymore_."

"Fuck _no_," Marko frowned, backing away on the ground. "I hate when she gets that look. Very bad things happen when she gets that fucking look. No!"

Sable turned to David with a cool stare, those holes inside her re-filled, but scarred over. She was still drunk on the power of the three men's blood. The pack had controlled her before she turned, but she was human before. They had frightened Sable earlier, but she was still a Halfling then. There was nothing they could do to her now.

She kept her fixed gaze on David with a spark of challenge in her eyes. "And with all that human weakness in Domini, you _still_ want her? I don't know which one of you is more pathetic."

If Sable had not already been turned, David would have killed her right there where she sat.

Paul winced, taking a step back beside Dwayne. "Worse things happen when _he_ gets _that_ look."

Taking advantage of Sable's fresh turning, David tossed his cigarette to the side and rolled over top of her, grinding her into the sand with his body.

"Do you know what you saw in those memories that you're not gonna find now, little girl?"

"What?" she smiled up at him, unphased.

He licked the smirk at his lips. "Restraint."

Her laughter erupted again. "What can you do to me that you haven't already done?" She moved her knees apart wider, giving him full access and the permission that voided his dangerous intention. "Go ahead, David. Fuck me like you need it," she grinned. "You've already said it's what I'm here for. Go on, _take_ it," she dared him with a cocky smirk she had seen him wear a thousand times. Sable was sure it looked better on her in that moment.

The rumble in David's throat grew, incited by her challenge. They had indeed created a monster and Max had seen it coming long ago. David refused to believe there was any girl, in any form, that could not be controlled. Sable was certainly proving to be their adversary more than an alliance though. His grip over her thighs tightened but he still made no move. It was clear that David could not scare her that way anymore.

Her condescending tone pushed him harder. "What's the matter? Can't get it up without a fight?" Sable bent her arms behind her head to rest, feeling bored with her leader's empty threat. "Everybody's watching, David. What're ya gonna do?"

The smirk found its home again across the curl of David's lips as he accepted her challenge. He looked down at her, watching Sable's face change from arrogance to uncertainty in a flash. "There are other forms of penetration, doll. If filling that hot little body of yours doesn't scare you, I'd bet my immortality that draining it _will_." David bared his fangs in the moonlight and dropped his head between her legs, sinking his teeth into the flesh of her inner thigh.

"Shit!" Paul yelped, jumping right into Dwayne as Sable screamed. He could not remember the last time he had jumped back from anything but seeing David feed on Sable, a full-blooded vampire, had scared him like nothing else could. "Did you know he was gonna do that?" Paul asked his brother. "Cuz I didn't know he was gonna do that! _Can_ he _do_ that?" Paul panicked.

Dwayne shook his head slowly, unable to take his eyes off the site he could not tear away from. "It would appear he can," he said softly in amazement.

Marko crawled backward like a crab, kicking the sand in his scramble to put some space between what his ears could hear and what his eyes could not escape. He could feel the pull of his blood siphoning out of Sable, like they were falling together, even as he clutched the sand. Marko severed their connection, shutting it down immediately, unable to bear the pain Sable was suffering as David fed from her. Sable's pained howl still resonated in Marko's ears until David's head rose, smearing the blood from his chin over her inner thigh.

The grin spread across David's glistening lips. "Sweet mother of all that is unholy!" he laughed with exhilaration. "Now that's somethin' _new_!" David was panting for more of the taste he had never known possible until he had experienced it. She tasted of death and life at the same time, the sun and the moon in liquid form. All of those decades and he had finally found something unique; like Domini. "I'd say you've become special after all, Sable," he moaned.

Weakened and dazed, Sable's head lolled to the side. She could see Marko's wide eyes staring down at her as the blood ran down her leg, wasting into the sand. She turned back to David with apologetic eyes, realizing there would always be a way for him to dominate her. She regretted ever wishing she could be special now that it had come true. Even her new power pride was not worth enough to warrant bringing David's fangs upon her ever again.

"I'm sorry," Sable whimpered, real tears of pain and regret spilling from her eyes.

"Yeah?" David cooed, sliding his finger across the two punctures in her thigh and bringing the blood to his lips for a lick.

Sable nodded, dizzy from the movement of her faint head. "Yes," she whispered.

David offered her a pleased smile. "Good." His face darkened and drew long again. "But not good _enough_," he seethed. David gripped her thigh, squeezing the blood to his finger as she cried out. He collected it along his fingertip and suckled it as she winced.

He was enjoying his power over Sable. Even with her new strength, she could not fight David off. She was growing weaker by the second anyway. It was not enough to make her afraid or cause her pain though. David looked up at Sable's fearful clench, wanting to see her eyes as he humiliated her like she had done to him.

"Get your eyes open, girl. I wanna see 'em roll back when you lose consciousness." He sunk his fangs into her opposite thigh as her head shot back, craning her neck to the moon and arching her back in pain. David could hear the grains of sand embedding underneath her fingernails as she dug them into the beach. There was nothing to grab hold of but sand that drained from her fingers as quickly as the blood from her body.

He leaned up over her, resting his head against her thigh. "You have one purpose, girl," he snarled in a panting breath. "And you _will_ serve it. You will serve _us_," he growled. "You will abide by _our_ rules! Your mouth doesn't open unless we want to fill it. You _do_ not feed until you beg for permission." David enjoyed his necessary roughness as he squeezed her thigh for more, Sable squirming before him.

Her body ached as David played with her, showing her weakness off to the pack. Her eyes rose beyond his shoulder to Marko.

As David released her to pin her hands above her head, Sable begged her Sire with a weakened plea. "Help."

He nodded and moved closer, hearing the desperation in Sable's voice that called to him on an internal level. He knelt behind her head, seeing the relief in Sable's eyes to feel him so close. "Of course, baby," he assured her.

It was hard not to feel bad for his girl and Marko knew that the right thing to do would be to scoop her up into his arms and carry her home to recover. He hated the situation she had put him in.

Marko gripped her wrists and crushed them over the sand, holding her down for David. Saving her was not going to do her any favors. Sable was not going to learn any other way. Marko honestly believed it was for her own good.

"Nooo," Sable cried, her one hope slipping away like the fresh blood from her body.

David smirked over her teary eyes. "You didn't think he was on your side, did ya honey?" He knew that she had and it only gave him more power. "Ohhh, you _did_." He snickered as he panted, the scent of stolen blood mixing in the air. "How _pathetic_," he growled while Marko licked his lips.

Sable had learned her lesson for the last time. She would do what she was told. She would learn as quickly as she could. Anything to avoid cowering beneath them all like she was in that moment.

"I'm _so_ fucking sorry," she cried.

David smirked, believing her. "You're getting' there, darlin." He lifted her shirt slightly and pierced the flesh of her side but barely drank. It was not only the unique mix of blood he was after; it was the pain and humiliation. He would save the rest of the blood for his brothers. It had to be a group lesson or Sable would never learn to respect them all. It merely had to start with David. He had reclaimed her respect for him, as well as his respect in front of his pack. It was time for the others to do the same.

"Paul? Come take back what she stole from you," he panted, rolling Sable's shirt up her torso and tucking it inside her mouth.

"Nooo," she screamed, shaking her head violently as her teeth gripped her t-shirt. "No more! Please!"

Paul sunk his knees into the sand beside her with a smile. He cocked his head to the side, looking into Sable's terrified eyes. "I don't know if I can do it, man." Paul watched her with a furrowed brow. The blood smelled more enticing than ever but the new source felt wrong. "She's like us."

David gripped the back of Paul's neck and thrust him down over Sable's bared flesh. "She _is_ like us, but she will never _be_ one of us," he growled. David could still see Paul fighting his apprehension. He licked at his upper lip, a drop of blood tucked into the curl, and found a way to convince him. "Her blood tastes like powdered sugar, Paul," he smiled.

That was all the incentive that Paul needed as he gently slipped his fangs beneath her flesh. He suckled at her smooth side with an almost erotic tenderness, moaning as he drained the blood she had just fed on. Paul's lips wrapped around her flesh, his tongue lapping at the strange taste of new blood mixing with Sable's, a bloodstream like nothing he had ever tasted. So stimulated by a new taste, Paul clenched her thigh as Sable whimpered. His finger grazed between her legs over her shorts, wanting her to share in his arousal.

David watched Sable's eyes flutter as Paul stroked her gently and drained her of the blood she had taken so greedily. The leader pulled Marko's head down over Sable, holding him down to her neck as David invited his brother to join, not taking no for an answer.

He looked up at Dwayne who was licking his lips, trying to hold back. "Go on then," David grinned. "There's room for you too."

Dwayne was starving but he knew that he would still have to face David and tell him what Domini was doing while he fed on her friend. "I'm fine," he shook his head.

"Suit yourself," David laughed, watching Marko and Paul drain her. Sable's body lay still as his brothers lifted their smiles to the sky. "She's dry now anyway."

He pulled back from her with a satisfied grin. Sable's weak body lay motionless in the sand as his brothers wiped their mouths. David hoisted Sable up over his shoulder, smacked her ass and carried her back to his bike. "Marko, get rid of this mess." He told Paul, "Pick up a bite and bring it back with you. She'll need to feed when she comes to. I think she's earned it," he added with a smirk. "Dwayne, you ride with me. We need to talk," he grimaced, having not forgotten how his brother had dodged his question earlier.

Dwayne nodded, following at his side. "We have a problem."

He let Sable fall over his lap as he straddled his bike. "Then we'll fix it." He smiled over Sable's limp body. "I'm all about finding new and creative ways to solve problems tonight."

**_I'm looking forward to hearing if you're happy with this chapter and the changes that have only just begun. It'll be a dance between sides to keep Sable in check while she exerts her newfound power over those she can dominate in retaliation. SO much to come! And Evan? Anyone curious as to how that's going to play out? I hope so! Please let me know. Your thoughts are my candy this Halloween season! Cheers, Harley_**


	19. Chapter 19

**~ Chapter 19 ~**

**_To everyone who is enjoying this story, thank you! Unfortunately it is possible that this story will disappear from this site forever, with or without notice. It is also possible that since I self-reported it, they will give me the opportunity to edit the content. However, I am not a writer who is willing to be censored, nor do I think any readers would appreciate that. Either way, if I am singled out and it must be taken down or changed, I will remove it and post on another site. The downside is, other sites really don't have much of an active Lost Boys following, including the ones built specifically for that purpose. I had started posting on one of them before and removed it. I can only hope that you'll follow this story wherever it ends up. Hopefully still here though! But should this story disappear, Google the title in quotes and it will show you the link to where it will be posted in full in the future. Let's hope it doesn't come to that though. We'll leave it up to Fate and the Moderators. Regardless, it means the world to me that you're reading between the lines of this story! I appreciate you lending this story your time and for taking even more time out to let me know what's on your mind! A million thank yous to each and every one of you! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Cheers, Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

**_Ironically, after all that, this chapter does not contain any sex or violence but I'll post the disclaimer before every chapter anyway, just to be safe._**

David leaned back against the saddle of his bike, chain-smoking as he watched Domini and Evan inside the store. When Dwayne had told him everything, he had thought his brother mad, never believing that Domini would be foolish enough to play games with him, much less against him. David stared down at the dozen of crushed out cigarette butts by his boots, admiring how they stuck up from the Boardwalk like tiny gravestones. He was glad he had sweet-talked the counter girl at the gas station into a few extra packs, all under the table. It was going to be a long night.

His thoughts traveled to his brother with a sense of urgency. _Is Sable fed and ready to roll?_

Marko answered with a smile. _We're rollin' your way right now. Almost there. And she's in a much better mood._ He felt Sable tighten around his waist, pressing her cheek to his back. Marko did not want her to suffer anymore. He just wanted her to listen and do what she was told. It was better for both of them when she did. _We're comin' up on ya now._

_Good._ David was going to need her help, not that he would admit it to Sable. It was high time she earned her keep, and the rewards that came with it. David knew that he could not always push her down if they were going to keep Sable happy. He would have to loosen her leash and give her a little slack from time to time. Even with a little leeway, Sable would always be tethered to them. David took comfort in that.

Domini smiled as she fell backward from the weight of the box she had filled and Evan took it off her hands with a chivalrous nod. She had learned more about Evan in two hours than she had about David in weeks. He had a brother and a sister, played guitar in a band, and lived in a small apartment over an old woman's garage. He was allergic to tuna fish but kept feeding the stray cat that climbed outside his window every night. He had grown up in New Jersey but the cold kept him sick so he had packed up his van and taken off to find his dad in California. Evan had no secrets he had to hide. He led an honest life and she found his normalcy refreshing, if not a little appealing as well.

He had listened to Domini as she shared her concerns over her friend and the divide growing between them. He had both sympathized and empathized, having had the same thing happen with his best friend, who had to be replaced as their drummer when they drifted apart. There was no drama between them and Domini had needed to hear herself laugh just to feel normal again. The life she had been living for the past couple weeks had been anything but ordinary, from the hours she had been keeping right down to her shifting emotions, and Sable's.

"You're really something, Evan," Domini smiled.

"Why?" he laughed. "For taking a heavy box? I can do that all night. You should see what I can do with drywall. Fascinating stuff," he said with a wry smile.

She sat down on the pile of boxes they had packed. "No, just for listening and all. I've kind of been on a roller coaster lately."

"Roller coasters can be fun," Evan grinned. "Don't knock 'em 'til you've tried 'em. You been on the Giant Dipper?"

Domini shook her head. "No."

"What?" he laughed. "Whatta ya been doin', girl?"

She shrugged. "Working, partying, sleeping, starting over again..." Domini trailed off. She could have added crying to that list but it would spoil the good time they were having. "It looks fun," she smiled.

"Oh it's a blast!" Evan laughed. "It's a real gem. Old wooden coaster, the way they were meant to be ridden. All creaks and groans like it might fall apart at any given second," he grinned excitedly. "It's terrifying! Your boyfriend never took ya on it?"

Domini bit her lip. "No."

"What _do_ you do for fun?"

What could she say; fuck, drink, sleep and fight? "I mean, mostly we just spend time together. We're still getting to know each other. I guess we don't really go out that much. But everything's usually closed by the time I get out of here," she added. "We make our own fun," Domini nodded. "David's not really a ride-by-your-side kind of guy. He's too cool. He's got a wicked motorcycle and he's _definitely_ more of a driver than a rider," she blushed, thinking about all the things that had drawn her to David in the first place. "Besides, old coaster or not, I don't think David's terrified of _anything_," she laughed.

_That's my girl_, David grinned as he listened.

"Everybody's afraid of something, Domini." Evan smiled. "If I were him, I'd be afraid of losing you."

She had to laugh, oblivious to his intention. "No, I mean David's _really_ not afraid of anything. He's not like other guys."

David grinned as she defended him, taking a drag off his cigarette as he listened from across the Boardwalk.

Evan shrugged. "Kinda sounds like a douche to me."

Choking out a billow of smoke, David scowled toward the store.

Domini could feel the blood drain from her face. When she had walked into the store with him that night, she had fully planned to use Evan to make David jealous. Finding him to be a good guy she enjoyed hanging out with had changed her mind quickly. Evan was strong but he was no match for David. No one was. Not even her.

"Don't ever let him hear you _say_ that," she warned with a whisper, looking around to make sure David was not sneaking in behind her. David had the quiet stealth of a cat.

"I can take care of myself. But I appreciate your concern," Evan smiled, flattered. "What's say you and I kick off and head down the Boardwalk for a ride or two before they close?"

She caught sight of David across the Boardwalk as the crowd thinned. He did not look at all amused and she had to wonder how long he had been waiting. "No thanks," she shook her head, cleaning up to finish for the night.

_Good girl_, David thought.

Domini saw the disappointment on Evan's face. "But how about a rain check?"

"Fuckin hell," David muttered.

Evan nodded, his smile back in form. "I'll take it."

The boys rolled up beside David, getting off their bikes and sitting along the rail behind him. They traded whispers and snickers as girls walked by, checking them out. Sable sat alone on Marko's bike, unsure of what to do.

"C'mere," David nodded, gentleness in his voice that he knew would catch Sable off guard.

She lifted her head toward his voice but Sable did not meet his eyes. She stood in front of him, waiting for instruction. Sable was not sure if she hated David or herself more as she did it.

"_Come_ on," David said softly, reaching out for her but making her take the steps toward him. He tucked Sable into his chest and held her with strong arms. "Look at me," he whispered as her eyes finally rose to meet his. "Do I look angry?"

She read David's entire face, finding no remorse for what he had done or made them all take part in. There was a sensitivity there though that told her he was done making his point and she was off the hook. The past was now in the past. "No," she said finally.

"Because I'm not angry anymore. Because the lesson's been learned and now we can move on," David said, cocking his head with a smile. "Now we can have fun. _All_ of us," he grinned.

Sable could not help but smile. It was not for David. It was for her chance to replenish the blood that had been taken from her. Feeding off the shop girl that Paul had brought back to her had helped but she was still ravenous. Sable had to wonder if she would ever feel full again. She would settle for satiated though.

She nodded with a grin as David kissed her forehead and gave her a squeeze. She took a step back, looking down at the fresh bandage that Paul had made her dress over her arm. "How long do I have to wear this thing? It itches," she frowned.

He shrugged. "Until Domini's turned and won't ask questions."

"And when will _that_ be?" she rolled her eyes.

David laughed. "Well now that depends on you, girl." He looked toward the store, watching Domini lock the back door. "You've known the mortal morsel longer. What does she want?"

Sable snickered at the absurdity of their friendship. It seemed like a waste of time now that she had been stripped of her soul. All of their memories were like watching a movie too dull to get into. Sable knew exactly what Domini wanted though, and it only made her laugh more.

"She wants the white picket fence," Sable scoffed.

David grimaced. "Never mind the fact that a picket fence could quite literally fucking kill me," he said dryly, "I could live a million years and still never want that. It's a dead existence, even more so than my own."

Sable nodded, finally finding a common ground between them. "You're tellin' me. I didn't want that even when I was alive."

Marko lifted his silver flask her way with a grin. "And I appreciated that about you. So cheers to that." He took a swig and passed it to Dwayne.

"How do I get her on my side?" David asked.

She shrugged. "Why should you have to? If that's what you really want, just turn her."

David lit up another cigarette, shaking his head as he blew the smoke up into the night sky. "She has to want it."

Sable eyed him carefully, not wanting to challenge him. She looked to Marko instead. "Why does it matter if she wants it or not? You turned me without my knowing what was in the wine."

Marko's eyes shifted to Dwayne and then away. "It just, it doesn't work like that. It's complicated."

The sadness in Dwayne's eyes told her to leave it alone. Sable nodded quietly, wondering if he would tell her in his own time. She had all the time in the world.

Marko smiled at her, "And besides, with you, well I just knew you'd take to it like a fish to water."

She smiled up at Marko, feeling his pride beam over her. It was the closest thing to warmth she had felt since turning.

Sable turned around, fueled by her Sire's approval. She looked into the dark store as Domini and Evan came out front to lock up for the night. "You sure that's what you want?" she asked David, leaning back against the seat of his bike beside him.

"Yeah," he nodded, more sure of turning Domini to make her his than ever.

"Alright," Sable sighed. She reached up absently to take the cigarette from the dangle of David's lips and brought it down to take a drag herself as she watched Domini's back, sizing her up.

"The fuck're you doin?" David laughed.

Sable grinned. "Whatever the fuck I want." She waited for Domini to turn around as she exhaled and passed the cigarette back to David. "And helping you," she said with a cocky smile Domini was sure to see.

Evan looked at the bikers and the girl with them, wondering what Domini saw in any of them. "That her? Your friend, Sable?"

She did not know how to answer that at all. Was that Sable in the flesh? Yes. Was that her non-smoking, anti-Cancer, best friend stealing a drag right off Domini's boyfriend's lips? Unfortunately, yes. In that moment, she did not recognize her friend at all though.

From across the Boardwalk, their keen eyes could see Domini clench her jaw. They could hear her heart start to race and her blood begin to boil. David was glad that Domini could not see him as easily as he could see her while he showed his gratitude to Sable. His hand slipped up behind her, raking his nails down her back ever so slightly to send a shiver up her spine. In one tiny act, Sable had managed to get Domini's attention in a way that he would have spent half the night trying to force. She had done it effortlessly and without any planning. Sable was a natural and he was glad they had turned her when they did. Her possibilities were endless.

"And that's your boyfriend there?" Evan asked.

Domini gathered all of the breath in her lungs to push out the words. "I don't know if I'd even call him my boyfriend." They were sleeping together and she was staying with him, but David had never put a label on it. Domini had no assurance that they were even exclusive. He had sworn to her that the stripper she had seen him with was just his friend and that she was the only one he wanted to be with. She had believed him. It was harder to believe while he sat so close to Sable as she smiled. "I don't know _what_ we are," she added softly, speaking for her relationship with David as well as her friendship with Sable.

David frowned, enjoying Domini's jealousy right up until the point where she doubted him. It would do him no favors to have her pull away when he needed her closer. David felt the need to reassure Domini, and make his presence known to Evan.

He got up and crossed the Boardwalk between them, smiling as he reached Domini. He slipped his hands behind her neck to cradle it as he bent down to pull her into his kiss. David held her there, a bit longer than he would have on any other night when she was alone. He released her, literally taking the breath out of her.

"Hey sugar. How was your night?"

Domini blushed at the public display of affection. She did not know what was going on back at the bikes but a great kiss was not going to excuse it. It helped though.

"Um, David, this is Evan," she said awkwardly nodding to him.

David turned with a grin. "Oh, hey man. Didn't see ya there."

"Clearly," he said with a forced smile. Evan was still a little put off by Dwayne's refusal to shake his hand but he had faith in Domini to choose better company in her boyfriend, or whatever he was to her. Evan took the high road and offered his hand out of respect for his new friend. "Good to meet you, man."

David looked down at the extended hand, checking for even tiniest tremble in it as it hovered in the air. He found Evan's hand to be steady and it amused him. David reached out, his leather glove squeezing around the man's hand with unnecessary strength.

Not at all shaken, Evan only laughed as his hand was released. He flexed his fingers. "Quite a grip ya got there."

Slipping his hands around Domini's waist, David moved her in front of him, looking down over her shoulder as a united front. "_She's_ never complained," he smirked.

"To _you_," Evan challenged, flashing a grin.

Domini rolled her eyes, in no mood for a cock fight. "Put 'em away, boys. Nobody's got a ruler." She pulled away from David's grasp and marched across the Boardwalk to Sable, leaving the two men slack-jawed in her wake.

Sable smiled, "Hey, we've been waiting for you."

"I saw that," she said pointedly. "So you're smoking now?"

She shrugged. "It's just something to do to pass the time while we waited."

It was more than that and Domini was not going to let Sable off that easy. "You hate cigarettes," she said, losing the anger in her voice as it was replaced with confusion.

"Yeah well, now that I'm around it all the time, things that I used to hate don't seem so bad anymore," she smiled, watching David approach from behind Domini.

The fury returned and Domini's stomach turned, knowing full well that Sable had no interest in David. It was even worse; she was doing it for pure spite. "You're in my seat," Domini growled, nodding to David's bike.

Paul let out a laugh he had to stifle into Dwayne's shoulder, nearly knocking them both off the railing.

She did not move but her smile grew. "You weren't here. I was just keeping it warm for you." Sable rose slowly and rounded the end of the bike to saddle herself between Marko's legs as he sat beside his brothers.

"Come on now, you two," Marko laughed. "Play nice."

"I don't think they're playin'," Paul laughed as Dwayne dug an elbow into his side.

David came up behind Domini with a confident smile. "Ya wanna tell me what that was about?"

She looked back, watching Evan's back as he walked down the Boardwalk toward that little apartment above the garage, a hungry cat waiting in the tree. Domini did not want to run after him but she did not want to get on the back of David's bike just then either. "I don't know, David," she huffed. "You tell me."

He held up his hands defensively, even as he laughed. "Hey, I was just sittin' here waiting for you."

"Right," she scoffed, as if that had been all.

David released a hard sigh. "Look, can we all just be adults here and get this out in the open? She's pissed, Dom. You scarred her fucking arm and then the two of you took some cheap shots at each other. I think we can all agree there're amends to be made."

"_Amends_?" Domini snapped. "What do you want from me, _blood_?"

"It would help," Paul nodded.

She shouted toward the sky, "It was a god-damned _accident_!"

Paul clapped his hands with a laugh. "Preach it, girl!"

Dwayne slung his arm around Paul's neck and dragged him off the railing down the Boardwalk.

Sable shook her head, bored with the idea of wasting time making up when there were people she could be eating instead. "Look, Dom. You've been really fucking moody lately and I never know what to say to you. You never say what you're thinking. You've always been like that."

"_I'm_ moody?" Domini mocked with exasperation. "I'm _moody_," she laughed.

"Well at least you admit it," Sable nodded.

"There's nothing to admit, Sable! You're the one who's been all over the place! I've been here for you but you've been shutting me out!"

Sable snarled forward as Marko pulled her back and they both knew he had better hold on tight. "You haven't been here for me at all! You're always working!"

"At a job that I thought we were going to share together!" Domini was screaming and she did not care how many people on the Boardwalk were stopping to stare.

Stifling her growl, Sable could feel her fury rising. She could see the flash of warning in David's eyes behind Domini and she took a deep breath that moved no air through her lungs to calm her. Sable stared at the ground, begging her eyes not to change as Marko dug his nails into her neck, bringing her back to the moment she needed to remain in.

"Is that really still what this is about?" Sable sighed. "You want me to get a job and be normal?"

Domini threw up her hands. "I could give a shit about you working or not. I just want you to be fucking happy!"

"Well hanging out with the boys and smoking and ragging on people who work makes me fucking happy," Sable bit.

"Fine, work, don't work," Domini spat, feeling the tears welling at her eyes. She refused to let Sable see them as she held them back as best she could. "Do whatever the fuck you want, Sable." Domini glared at her. "Just keep your damn hands off my boyfriend."

Sable held her hands up with a smile, clasping them behind Marko's neck as he leaned over her. "Come on, Marko. I'm suddenly _passionately_ motivated to put in applications," she said, dripping with sarcasm. "So I can buy my _own_ cigarettes," she added innocently. Marko followed her off as they caught up with Paul and Dwayne.

David grinned at Domini. "Boyfriend, huh?"

She huffed, "_Seriously_?"

He nodded apologetically but his smile stayed fixed across his lips. He reached out, pulling her over to him, even as Domini fought him. He did not stop until he held her against his strong chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"She'll come around, Dom," he offered with a tender voice.

Domini still refused to let her tears fall. Dwayne had been right about her and, in some ways, so had Sable. She was being too emotional and she could not keep letting it all get to her. How long would David stick around when all she did was cry on his shoulder? She took a step back and looked up at him, finding reassurance in his eyes. If anything, Sable had taken _his_ cigarette. David had done nothing wrong. Maybe Sable had not either. Domini did not want to dissect anyone's motives any longer.

"Tell me you've got another bottle of whisky back at the hotel." She hated calling it the cave.

David smirked. "You thirsty?"

She nodded, stepping on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Parched."

Back at the ruins of the old hotel, David watched Domini slump deeper into the couch with a relaxed smile. She was no longer even passing the whisky bottle back to him, not that its effects lasted long enough inside him anyway. David realized that he could have so easily mixed his own blood with the wine and given that bottle to her instead.

He smiled to himself, thinking that he probably could have cut his neck and brought her lips to drink from his source and Domini would have done it. The very image in his head of her drinking from his neck as he turned her was enough to arouse David into a more pleasant mood. Max would never forgive him for something like that. And besides, he wanted to win her. It did not have to be a fair fight and David had made no bones about that. He still wanted to win though.

"Feeling better?" David grinned beside her.

"Much," she smiled back. Domini pulled herself up a bit, resting her head against the arm of the couch so it could aid in propping her up. "So, what did you do tonight?" she asked, trying so hard to sound casual. It was an instant failure.

He laughed. "Subtle, Dom."

"What?" she giggled. "It's a simple question."

David shook his head. "It's a _loaded_ question. I have no problem answering it anyway," he smiled. "I sat around with the boys, filled my tank and went to pick you up." He knew what she was waiting for. "And yes, Sable was there for a small part of it. I talked to her like I told you I would; tried to talk some sense into her. She's stubborn," he frowned, knowing it was the truth.

"Believe me, I know," she sighed.

"Yeah well, clearly it didn't do much good. I think she just really wants to break out of the mold she's been in. This is a new place and it gives her a fresh start to be anyone she wants."

Domini nodded, appreciating how hard David had tried. "Dwayne said the same thing. But when he told me she would test out different things to see what stuck, I never imagined that would mean going against everything she's ever believed in. I mean, smoking?" She sat forward and shook her head. "I thought he meant changing the kind of music she listens to, dying her hair or maybe getting a piercing! I didn't think she'd throw away her belief system," she frowned.

"Why not?" he shrugged. "Her old man's gone, princess. She's out in the world on her own and there's nobody making any rules for her. It's up to Sable what she does and she's finally got the freedom to explore what that means." David had ways of making his point and clearing any future behavior that Sable would exhibit in the coming nights. "She's still really angry that her dad abandoned her. He died, but he still left her alone."

It was both a shock to hear and to realize that she had to be told. Domini should have seen it herself. "She told you that?" she asked softly.

"She didn't have to. I can see it all over her face. She's full of anger over being left behind." David took her hand in his, holding it gently. "And you and I haven't really made it an easier for her."

"How so?" Domini took another swig from the bottle, knowing it would only make everything harder to understand, but needing its strength.

"Well, we spend a lot of time together and you work."

Domini protested, "But she's got Marko. It's not like she's been alone. I wouldn't do that to her."

He nodded. "Yeah, but she's still getting left behind. That's gotta sting. Then she tried to get by in your world and she got hurt by that stupid wire. She's always getting hurt," he shrugged. "Sable's defense mechanism is to blow up and then blow it off."

She got quiet as she took another drink, staring at David's hand as he held hers. "What's _my_ defense mechanism?" she asked.

David grinned, leaning in toward her to whisper at her ear. "To find something that feels so good that you can't feel the pain anymore." His lips grazed her neck, his tongue licking a path back to her ear. "I know because you're just – like - me," he breathed over her.

Reaching up to cup his cheek, Domini brought his kiss to her lips. Every touch of David's lips was always like coming home; safety, reassurance, acceptance. "What does that say about me?" she whispered.

"That you're the right girl for me," David smiled, claiming her lips again.

She wanted to ask David if he was sure he would not prefer someone like Sable, exciting and carefree. Those insecurities were no longer welcome in Domini's head though. If Sable could shed her past and become who she wanted to be, so could Domini. She could be new and improved and it was a fresh start for both of them. With her best friend pulling away faster every minute, David was all she had to hold onto. As David moved over her, she held on with both hands.

The graze of his nose at her neck tickled and Domini could not stop giggling. David sighed and held his head back to look at her.

"This isn't gonna happen right now, is it," he frowned.

She laughed with an intoxicated grin. "Not unless you're going to do all the work."

He grinned, "I don't mind work." David nuzzled his face into her neck again, pressing his body down over her.

Domini clawed at his back, patting him as she pointed. Her words ran together in one fast exclamation, "David look it's Dwayne!"

"_What_?" he groaned, looking back over his shoulder as his brother stood at the entrance from the tunnel.

"Sorry man," he shrugged. "I'm just gonna pass through," Dwayne pointed toward the stairs.

Pushing at David's immobile body over her, Domini struggled to her side. Her shoulder barred David from any further access as she fumbled for leverage to sit up. "No, no, no you will _not_," she laughed. "Who's the boring one now? Come here, you're going to drink with us!"

Dwayne shook his head. "No, I'm good, thanks." He smiled. "I think you've had enough for both of us."

"But there are three of us," Domini tried to explain, as if she was making a valid point.

There would be more alcohol in Domini than there would be of David that night and he knew it. He hid his disappointment with a low laugh and waved his brother over. "Come on, Dwayne. Join the party."

"Yay," Domini squealed as David let her sit up fully.

Dwayne sat on the arm of the couch with his boots next to David's side. "Didn't mean to crash, man."

David shrugged it off as he lit up a smoke. "S'alright."

Firelight flickered through the cave, casting shadows along the walls. Domini leaned over David's lap, passing Dwayne the bottle of whisky. She looked up at him with fascinated curiosity. "How do you get your hair so _smooth_?"

David frowned, "Okay, no. I just can't. If you two wanna braid each other's hair I'm gonna have to step the fuck out."

Domini laughed and sat back as Dwayne smiled and took a drink. She thought it would feel strange to be there without Sable or the others. It had been quiet, just the two of them and she had enjoyed it. It felt more like a home than Domini ever thought it could. Even with Dwayne there, she was comfortable. His little pep talk earlier had left Domini with a big brother feeling and she was grateful to him for it. She needed more nights like that one, kicking back and just enjoying each other's company.

They talked late into the night, passing the bottle between them. The boys told stories of pick-pocketing on the Boardwalk and the stealthy use of a steady hand. Domini listened with enthusiasm as they shared their memories of a time before she knew them, running wild through Santa Carla as a pack to be reckoned with. She laughed with them and could see everything in her mind as clearly as if she was there alongside them. They jumped into each other's stories, reminding one another of little anecdotes and Domini admired how close they were. She had plenty of funny stories she could have shared too, but every single one of them had Sable right beside her. Domini did not feel angry anymore. In that drunken moment, she forgot everything they were fighting about.

By the time the rest of the crew showed up, Domini was a mess and falling off the edge of the couch as the boys laughed. "Sable! Oh my God! What are the chances we'd run into each other here?" she said with amazement.

Sable raised a curious brow. "Um, pretty damn good I'd say." She looked to Marko who was running over to join the party. Once she saw the bottle Domini could barely hold, she understood. "Ah," she nodded as Paul slung his arm around her neck and pulled her toward the group.

Paul laughed, flicking on the radio and turning it up loud. "Yeahhh! I _love_ drunk Domini!" He jumped onto the back of the couch as Sable sat on the crated boxes that served as a table beside it. "Get your fun on, girl!" he laughed, grabbing the bottle.

Domini reached for Sable, clawing her way up to hug her. "Don't think it's just because I'm drunk, but I love you!" she gushed.

Sable rolled her eyes from over Domini's shoulder, flinching as the girl hugged her tighter. She held her finger to her temple, cocking back her thumb to pull the trigger as Paul erupted in laughter.

David's thoughts reached out to Sable. _Alright, you had your fun on the Boardwalk. But now it's time to make up and make nice. I can't have Domini distracted with drama._

She frowned at the thought of pretending to care. "Love you too, Dom," she said dryly. It was the most effort she could muster in that moment.

"I don't wanna fight," she smiled, pulling back. "I don't care if you wanna smoke or dye your hair or get a piercing," she promised.

Sable grinned. "How about I give _you_ a piercing?"

David's brow furrowed. _Reel it in, girl_.

She sighed. "Gee, thanks, Dom," Sable said, flinching a smile. "That's so sweet."

"And I don't care if you wanna be somebody new either. We'll just become _new_ friends!" Domini laughed.

"Can't wait, friend," she smiled as Domini threw her arms around her neck again. Sable leaned over her shoulder with her finger to her open mouth making a gagging motion as Paul slapped his thigh.

Domini felt David pull her back over his lap as she settled her arms around his neck. "Sable, tell them about the time you kicked that guy's ass for grabbing yours!"

Sable did not want to smile but the memory brought it to her lips. If she had known back then how good his blood would taste, she wouldn't have left it all over the pavement. "Well, okay," she grinned. "So we were on the 95 corridor, hitchhiking our way through Virginia," Sable reminisced.

She realized as she told the story that not every memory with Domini in it had been disconnected. They had gotten into a lot of trouble together over the years and her friend had been daring and fun. If Sable could be sure that those qualities in Domini could be accentuated once she lost her soul, she might actually support David's decision to turn her. Of course, once Domini was changed, she would rise through the ranks of the pack. She would never be on par with the boys but Domini would be revered by David's side. Sable could never allow that.

It occurred to her that if she could secretly drive a wedge between the couple, veer Domini toward someone more her speed, like Evan, then Sable and her Sire would be a powerhouse in the pack. All she had to do was break up David and Domini and convince Marko that he was better at leading the pack. She had her work cut out for her, but as Sable told the story that had everyone laughing, all eyes on her even while she plotted against them, she knew she was up to the challenge.

**_Curiouser and curiouser? I hope so! There is plenty more ahead and things are going to get downright unruly! I hope you're still out there! And if anyone knows if 'Put 'em away boys. Nobody's got a ruler' is a quote from somewhere, please let me know! I've been saying it for so many years that I no longer know if I made it up or heard it somewhere. I don't want to take credit if it isn't mine. Please let me know your thoughts! I look forward to hearing them! And if this is the last chapter I can offer you here, then I'm sorry it wasn't an action-packed one. I didn't know this could be the last here. So I hope it was at least still a good one! I can't thank you all enough! You blow my mind with your immortal support and I appreciate you down to the bottom of my black heart. Cheers, Harley_**


	20. Chapter 20

**~ Chapter 20 ~**

**_Well, so far so good! I haven't heard anything back yet but since my story is still here, I'll post another chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you, as always, for all of your support! You all amaze me every single day! This chapter is dedicated to my best friend in the world, Stormy Sorrow. Happy Birthday, girl! _**

**_I'm sorry I didn't post last night like I had hoped. I got in late from my trip but got right down to it, even writing without watching The Walking Dead, which I just don't do. Ever! There is very little that can keep me away from Norman Reedus screen time but I was willing to wait to watch the episode so I could finish on time. Unfortunately, by the end of the night, it was not ready for public consumption just yet. Rather than post it before it was up to par with the storyline, I opted to hold back just long enough to get it right for you. I hope it is worth the wait and that you enjoy it! Xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Domini's head pounded with resistance from the small movement of even opening her eyes. She turned slowly, holding her dizzy head, as she took in the soft firelight of the room and the eyes upon her. "How long was I out?" Domini whispered.

Smiling, David shrugged. "Since early this morning."

She groaned, feeling the weight of everyone's stares crush her. "You've all just been sitting there watching me sleep?"

"Creepy, isn't it?" David grinned.

She did not dare nod, knowing her head could not take the motion. "Kind of." Domini sighed, forcing herself to sit up and hold onto the arm of the couch for support. "What time is it?"

Sable smiled. "Time to go to work. Aren't you supposed to meet Evan?" She ignored David's narrowing eyes at the mention of his name.

"I guess," Domini whispered. She felt like she was always waking up just as everyone else's night was beginning. She was so glad that Sable was talking to her though. She could vaguely remember making up the night before. It was mostly just a blur. All of the nights seemed to blend together.

"I'm so done with drinking," she winced. "I really need a shower," Domini frowned, leaning away from David and praying she did not smell bad.

"Come on," David laughed, watching Domini move so slowly. "I'll take you up to the Boardwalk." He pulled her to his side. "When you come home tonight, I'll take you to a special spot where you can clean up." He leaned his lips to her ear with a whisper. "But I'm just gonna get ya dirty again."

Sable stole Domini's attention back with a smile. "Let's all go to the Boardwalk." She had things to do, places to be, bodies to drain.

It was a relief for Domini to interact with her friend in any way that did not involve yelling. She did not think her aching head or her healing heart could take it that night. "That'd be great," she smiled to them both.

The ride in was a long one as Domini held onto David with one hand and her head with the other. The roar of the motorcycles only accentuated the pounding that throbbed in her head, wracking her whole body. She felt sick to her stomach but there was nothing in it to throw up. Domini knew she would have to eat something if she was going to be on her feet all night. She was grateful when David offered to bring her something, but a little jealous when they all left to eat together.

Inside the store, most of the boxes were gone and Evan was busy packing up what remained. "Hey girl," he smiled. "Maria and her brother got a lot done today. I started early but there isn't much left."

"That's good. Thank you," Domini nodded, sitting down to stop the room from spinning.

Evan eyed her with a cocked grin. "Too much fun last night?"

"I remember laughing a lot so, no. There was too much whisky for sure," she groaned.

He laughed, rummaging through a canvas messenger bag until he found a silver flask. "Hair of the dog?" She shook her head as Evan put it in her hand. "Trust me, it'll help."

"I haven't eaten anything. David said he'd bring me something after they grab a bite."

He frowned. "A good guy would bring you food before he ate."

Domini was in no condition to argue or agree. She could not muster the brain power it would take to defend him and it only made her feel sicker to know that Evan was probably right. She reached out and took the flask, if for no other reason than to avoid having to talk.

The whisky burned its way through her as her face puckered. She took smaller sips while Evan packed the box he had already mostly filled. She had to admit, the whisky was making the room still and the throb in her head was becoming nothing more than a dull, aching nuisance.

"Better?" he laughed, watching the color return to Domini's face.

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"Sure, I've been there," he smiled. "You don't have to do anything. I've got this if you want to go."

Evan had already done so much of the work himself. She did not want to leave the rest up to him too. "No, I'm feeling better already. I just need a few minutes," she said, taking another sip.

Almost an hour passed while the two packed up the store, sharing stories and making each other laugh. Domini was relieved that everything was turning around for her. Soon the shop would be open again. She had missed Max and Domini was excited to tell him how much better things had gotten in just a short time. She passed the flask back to Evan with a smile, eager to thank Max for her new friend.

Sable felt better after feeding and she even tolerated the stop to pick up food for Domini. Watching through the new glass installed that day, while Evan made her laugh, brought a smile to Sable's lips but a frown to David's. She sensed his disapproving look out of the corner of her eye. "I guess she wasn't done drinking after all, huh?"

"Zip it," he grimaced, pulling the door open and taking the slice of pizza to Domini. "Still hungry or are you on a liquid diet tonight?"

She felt like she had just been caught doing something wrong. It did not look good, sitting in a mostly dark room, drinking with another man, but it was harmless. "I'm starving," she smiled, ignoring his tone. "Thank you." Domini rose up, kissing his lips softly as she took the slice. "Do you want to stay a while?" she asked them.

David shook his head, watching Evan bring the shared flask to his grinning lips. "Nah, wouldn't want to get in the way of your _work_," he frowned, turning and heading out toward the boys.

Sable held up her hand, stopping Domini from trying to go after him. "Let him go. I'll talk to him. A little bit of jealousy is healthy for any good relationship," she grinned.

"I thought so before, but..." Domini watched David's back, hoping he would look to see if she was following, but he just kept walking away. "I don't want to push him away."

"Do you trust me?" Sable smiled.

She looked back to her friend, seeing the old Sable staring back at her with confident reassurance. "You know I do."

She smiled, "Then let me take care of it for you."

Domini nodded, giving her friend a hug of gratitude. "Thank you, Sable. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Yeah, I'm pretty amazing," Sable laughed, coaxing a smile from her. "But so are you. She nodded to Evan, "Take good care of her."

Domini smiled and watched her go after the boys, feeling a little better. She knew that Sable would keep her word, just as she always had. David would come around. He had friends she was not particularly fond of, like the stripper who had hung all over him. She was entitled to choose her own friends too.

Evan took a swig and passed the flask back to Domini. "I don't think your boyfriend likes me very much. Your friend seems to be coming around though," he smiled. He was glad to see that Domini and her friend had made up. "Oh hey, I almost forgot. Max left you an envelope."

She took it with a curious smile that grew as soon as she felt the bills inside it. "It's pay day!" she gushed with excitement. Domini knew just how she wanted to spend it, too. She wanted to get Sable something special, as a token of their friendship. "Would you mind if I ran out for a few minutes?"

"Take your time," he shrugged and smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

Domini rushed out onto the Boardwalk, seeing Sable talking with David further down the way while the boys whistled at a group of girls. It was comforting to have Sable on her side again and her new friendship with David was proving to be more useful than upsetting as it had been the night before. Domini ducked into the closest shop and headed straight for the jewelry counter.

"Can I help you?" asked a middle-aged woman with a polite smile.

She nodded with an excited grin. "Yes, you can."

When Domini stepped outside, she could see David and Dwayne being pulled by Paul down the Boardwalk but Sable and Marko were nowhere to be found. It was the perfect time to ask David if he would leave her gift for Sable on her pillow as a surprise. She took a glance inside the store and waved to Evan, holding up her finger so he knew she would be right back as she rushed off.

Domini weaved in and out through the mass of people but the boys were far ahead of her. The crowd just seemed to part for them while swallowing Domini and holding her back. If she stood on her tiptoes every so often, she could see Paul jumping ahead of them and circling back while they took their time. Even with their leisurely pace, Domini was not gaining on them at all until they made a sharp left into a bar.

Finally catching up, Domini paused in front of the bar, its blacked out windows barely showing any light behind them. She looked up at the neon sign that read "BOTTOMS UP", an appropriate name for a Boardwalk bar. There was a line too long for the boys to have gotten through but she was sure they had gone inside.

"Right this way, sweetheart," the bouncer smiled, waving her toward the door as he pulled back the red rope that held the line at bay. He eyed her with a grin to the dismay of the queue. "Eighteen to enter, twenty-one to drink."

The man at the front of the line, who looked like he had been waiting a while already, frowned. "Aw, come on man. Those guys, this girl," he huffed impatiently. "How many people you gonna let in before us?"

The bouncer shrugged, his muscles flexing from the motion. "As many as I want."

Domini flashed a smile, realizing that he had to be referring to David and the others. The boys could probably skip any line on the Boardwalk they wanted to.

"Is there a cover?" she asked.

"Not for babes," he smiled.

"Thank you," she grinned, ducking past the line as the bouncer looked her over.

"I forgot my I.D.," she shrugged, knowing she looked exactly her age and that, while he was generous, he was not a fool.

He stamped her hand and opened the door, letting Domini in and a flood of music out.

She slipped inside and looked down at the back of her hand that glowed in the darkness of the bar. JAILBAIT. She laughed, shaking her head. Eighteen was hardly jailbait but she supposed it was a creative way of not serving anyone who could lose the bar its liquor license. Domini had already had enough to drink with Evan anyway.

The seductive melody of the music surrounded Domini as she looked up to take in the scene. Her smile was short-lived once she took a good look around.

Smoke and luminescent lights filled the room as she waved her hand to see through the haze. Small round tables filled the space, every chair pointing toward the square stage at the far end of the club. A long bar ran the length of the room but it was far from the main attraction. Its namesake, Bottoms Up, had nothing at all to do with drinking.

A half naked girl wrapped her legs around the pole anchored to the stage as she hung down from it, her hair grazing the platform. Domini was grateful for the darkness to hide the blush of her face and the uncomfortable look she did not want anyone to see. She was hardly a prude but Domini was vastly outnumbered by men. She seemed to be the only girl in the room who was not a dancer or a waitress, making her stand out.

A man passed her on his way outside, looking her over from head to toe with a leering smile. Domini stepped out of his way, looking forward to the shower she would take later to wipe off the feeling he had left her with. The door opened behind her as the man from the front of the line was finally allowed to enter. Domini looked outside at the line that she had not paid nearly enough attention to before, consisting entirely of men. She stepped farther aside as the man smiled, feeling much more agreeable now that he was inside.

"Buy ya a drink, darlin? Or did you just come here to watch?"

Domini continued to back up until her back hit the bar with nowhere to go. "Fuck off," she grimaced, hoping she sounded tougher than she felt at that moment. Domini could hold her own most places. Standing alone in a strip club surrounded by lustful men was not one of them.

The man frowned. "Should have known you weren't interested in men."

"Keep movin, man," the bartender laughed. "Plenty of tables open. A few seats are still left by the stage." He smiled at Domini as the man wandered deeper into the club, his eyes set on the dancer instead.

"Virgin?" the bartender smiled.

She laughed, trying to look like she was completely at home in the club. "Hardly."

He looked puzzled before grinning down at her hand on the edge of the bar. "Virgin _drink_?"

"Oh," she said, feeling the blood rush to her face. "No, I'm fine. Thanks. I'm just looking." Domini sighed, feeling dumber by the minute. "I mean I'm looking for someone. A group of guys," she added, ready to smack her palm against her forehead.

He laughed, straightening his tie and pushing the white sleeves of his crisp shirt up to lean his tattooed arms on the counter. "No judgment here," he smiled, shouting over the music. "Take your pick, darlin. There's a frat party over there, a bachelor party on the end," he nodded, pointing out the groups of men. "A whole lot of guys. You need anything, I'm Tony."

Domini, like the rest of the club, could not take her eyes off the girl winding her way around the pole. She was completely aware of every muscle she flexed, dominating the attention of every eye in the room. She had to admit that the girl was good at what she did. It made Domini uneasy to know that David was somewhere in that room, the girl's captivated audience. Maybe he even knew her. It was enough motivation to give Domini the courage to find him in the crowd.

"Thanks," she nodded to Tony.

He waved at her to get her attention over the loud music as she stepped away. "Be careful, alright? The bouncers are pretty much just for show. This club doesn't have any rules about only stripping down to a g-string and it gets the crowd pretty wound up." Tony smiled and shrugged. "Great for _my_ business, not so much for yours," he followed up with a frown of warning. "These guys get handsy when a girl's on the floor instead of the stage. You watch yourself," he said sincerely, lighting a smoke and watching her walk away.

Domini was keenly aware of each set of eyes that followed her as she passed. It would have been a thrill if she did not feel so vulnerable. She wished she had worn more than a tank top and shorts but it was still more than the waitresses were wearing when their uniform was a bikini. It was a lot less than the naked girl on stage was showing off though. Domini could feel the eyes behind her, undressing her faster than the stripper who joined the stage could bare herself to their cheers. She wondered if this was how David blew off steam. She instantly regretted ever trying to make him jealous. It did not feel good at all now that the tables had turned.

She picked out Paul's howl as soon as she heard it, turning her attention to the table just left of center stage. Domini could see the back of David's platinum hair shining in the stripper's spotlight and she moved a little faster toward a safer destination.

As Domini moved through the tables, she could feel the brushes of hands graze her thighs, too low for the bouncer to see. According to Tony, they would not have done anything anyway. Domini told herself that if she was in trouble, he would have to. Just in case, she did not dare stop until she came up to the side of David's smile, his eyes too distracted to notice her.

A man yelled from behind her. "Take a seat, baby!"

"I got one for ya right here!" hollered another.

David's eyes drifted from the two strippers' entangled dance to Domini, the smile he wore never changing even as his gaze refocused from them to her. He slid his seat back from the table a few inches and reached for her hand, pulling her down to sit on his lap. She supposed that even if there had been an extra chair at their table, David would have still sat her over him, keeping her close from wayward hands. He seemed to enjoy the awkward look on Domini's face though and it only made her feel more uncomfortable instead of safer.

"So long as you're on my lap, how 'bout a dance, sugar?" David grinned.

She turned away from him to the boys' smiles as they snickered. Domini knew they could see how uneasy she felt but they were having too good of a time to watch her for long. Even Dwayne had a smirk on his lips and she almost felt like she was interrupting.

She turned back to David's grin and leaned into his ear. "Are you here because you're mad at me?"

He laughed and shook his head casually. "Not everything is about you, Dom. I can honestly say that I'm not here because of you." David kissed her forehead. "Evan is no threat to me. I know what I got and I'm not giving you up," he assured her. "Sit back and enjoy the show," David grinned.

Staring up at the two girls kissing above them, Domini could feel David growing hard beneath her. She was embarrassed but it made her feel better to know that his arousal had come only after she had arrived. Domini supposed the two girls looking down at him were doing their part to help though.

David smirked past Domini at the girls as they twisted together. He leaned to her ear, making sure she could hear him over the music. "I don't think it's _me_ they're interested in if that makes ya feel better."

She looked up at the girls as they smiled down at her, still holding onto one another with roaming hands. Domini felt David's hand run up along her spine, cupping the back of her neck as his fingers tangled in her hair. She leaned back against his strong chest, smiling up at the girls and making it clear she was taken.

The girls returned their smiling lips back to a kiss, their glistening bodies sliding against one another. Domini watched them, their lips parting slightly as their tongues met. It was a seedy show, even for a strip club, and Domini understood what Tony had meant. They were not even dancing anymore and it explained the line that spilled out onto the Boardwalk.

She had to admit they were putting on a good show. There was an erotic nature about them and it had nothing to do with the fact that they were naked and touching each other. The girls seemed to genuinely get off on being together in front of the crowd. Domini supposed they were probably together off stage as well. It would certainly make it easier to get up there in front of all those men with their leering eyes if they truly did not care what their patrons thought.

Domini felt like she was watching a private show, put on just for them. Knowing David's past, how he had watched those dancers in the carnival, only cemented his visual nature in her mind. While he could not touch those girls, Domini was more than happy to share his arousal while reminding him that he was the only one she wanted.

She felt David's hand grip the back of her neck firmly, pushing her down harder over his lap as he drove up against her. Domini raked her nails up the length of David's thigh, feeling the muscles of his stomach tighten behind her with gratified approval. She stared up at the girls with new interest, finding it to be a turn on to share the sight with David instead of knowing that he was watching them without her. He was enjoying them, but it was Domini he wanted.

She turned her body to the side, reaching back to kiss his lips. She could feel his hands wrap around her, groping her hip as his thumb slipped under her shirt to graze her bare skin. Domini felt a warm shiver run through her.

A soft brush along her arm made Domini break away from David's lips. She met Paul's smile as he ran a dollar bill up her arm with a grin. Domini laughed, shaking her head. She turned back to David's grin, putting her lips to his ear. "Let's get out of here. Go somewhere private."

"You just got here," he smirked, lighting a smoke. "These girls will think you don't like their show."

Domini's nails traced the nape of his neck. "I don't give a fuck what these girls think," she smiled.

"No?" he grinned. "Who ya _gonna_ give a fuck to?"

Her lips claimed David's but it was his tongue that dominated hers. She kept waiting for the bouncer at the end of the stage to break them apart but no one was stopping them. Domini could only guess that they were putting on a show the club did not have to pay them for. She was flushed with arousal, knowing that so many eyes were on her, watching her give David what they all wanted. She could never get up on a stage and bare herself like those girls, but it made her hot to feel David's hands on her in front of all those men. She did not know what that said about her and, in that moment, she did not care.

David's lips nestled against the nape of Domini's neck as she craned her head back to give him access. She bowed her chin, breathing harder as he tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her head back gently. Domini's eyes fluttered open to Marko's smile as he watched her with a lop-sided smirk. She was quickly brought back to the moment while David's tongue licked at her ear. It was one thing for Marko to watch the show but the way he looked at her was anything but innocent. She was glad David was too occupied to see him. She was sure Sable would not appreciate it though. Domini felt increasingly uneasy as Marko watched her so closely while everyone else's eyes were turned toward the stage.

Marko did not bother to look away or hide his interest as he stared back at her. He gave a small laugh and cast a sideways glance to Paul, anxiously awaiting the moment when Domini would be let in on the fun. He could get off on her discomfort alone but it would be so much more fun to watch Domini as she came to the understanding that she did not need to feel guilty.

He curled his gloved hand over his grin, unable to hide his excitement any longer. Marko reached out to Domini as she tried to coil back with a nervous frown. He cupped her chin as David held her in place, and turned Domini's head toward the stage.

Her confused eyes widened over the girl with her back against the pole as the music changed to another sultry song. Domini stared up as the girl faced the curtain, sliding her bare back down the pole, her delicate hand gliding along the steel above her. She wrapped her fingers around it and tucked her leg around the pole to twist into a turn, facing the crowd. Sable smiled down at Domini with a gleam in her eye, wearing nothing but a smile and a shimmering sheen of oil.

"Oh my God!" she choked, sitting up straight.

Marko bit his knuckle, unable to take his eyes off Domini as he grinned. "Right?" He turned his smirk up at Sable with pride. "She's _stunning_."

Domini stared wide-eyed as Sable slid her back down the pole again, her knees together until she was low enough to slide her hands down her thighs, opening them to the crowd. Unable to look as the crowd cheered, Domini buried her face in David's neck. She could feel him push up against her harder, his fingers still raking through her hair with one hand, the other bringing his cigarette to his lips. She pulled back to face his smirk, watching David get off while touching her and watching her best friend under the spotlight. She felt sicker the wider his grin became.

David had never been more glad that Marko had turned Sable than he was in that moment. She was beautiful, her lithe body twisting against the pole, supple flesh sliding against steel. Sable was a natural, captivating every eye in the room. When she had mentioned the previous night that she and Paul had found her a job, he had thought it a waste of time. Once they had told him what it was, David had seen the brilliance in it immediately.

Sable would have no trouble luring patrons off the Boardwalk after a show. One after another, they would follow her without question into the darkness under the pier. There would be enough for all of them to feed and it would be almost effortless on Sable's part. She had no shame, only an agenda, and Sable got off on the power it gave her over the roomful of men. It was harder, even for the boys, to get people to follow them away from the crowds without pushing their minds, which was exhausting. Sable had found a way to bring the blood to them. She had never been more valuable in David's eyes than she was that night.

He tucked his lips against Domini's ear, tightening his grip over her neck and making sure she could not run like he knew she wanted to. "Don't be jealous, sugar. It's not her _show_ we're here for - it's her _protection_."

Domini's mind was racing and she could not even form any words. She shook her head, her eyes darting back and forth between David's calm demeanor and Sable's naked body as she crawled to the edge of the stage.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" she shouted, the music drowning her out.

He turned Domini back around to face the stage, his hand slipping over the curve of her thigh. David's lips brushed her ear as he dug his fingers between her legs. "I could rip down your shorts in front of this crowd and they would cheer me on," he growled. His knee rose, parting her thighs as his finger rubbed over her. "Do you see the bouncer showing any concern for you right now?"

Domini gulped, staring back at the man who watched, but did not move to help her. She was mortified by everything that was happening. Domini did not care if David and the boys were there to protect Sable. Her friend should not be there in the first place.

"This is insane!" she shivered against David's hand, sobering up and pushing at his immobile arm.

"This is what she wants," he told her, keeping her in place.

Domini trembled, averting her eyes from Sable's naked body as she swung around the pole, her fiery red hair floating behind her in the spin. The tears brimmed at Domini's eyes as she closed them, David's voice consuming her.

"You try to talk her down from this and you'll lose her forever," he warned.

Her eyes shot back open as the first tear fell. Even if David was right, and she knew that he was, Domini could not stay quiet that time. Her eyes plead with each of the boys, begging for help, but found none. Marko appeared proud as Sable danced directly in front of him. Paul was delighted by his new friend's wild nature and it was no wonder they had taken off together the night before. Dwayne, who she had believed to the conscience of the group, had no qualms watching Sable dance either. He even seemed to support her. And then there was David. Domini could not fathom how easily he had drawn her in, knowing who the next performer would be. He had not even warned her but, instead, aroused her and took pleasure in working her over while setting her up. She could have at least tried to believe David's story if his hand was not still rubbing between her thighs, that grin fixed over his curling lip.

She pried his fingers from between her legs, clamping them shut as she started to get up. Domini felt David pull her back down with a snarl that invaded her ear.

"First off, you make a move to get through this crowd right now and they will eat you alive!" he growled. "Secondly, this is Sable's moment, _not_ yours. You get up before she's done and she'll feel as bad as you do right now." David held her steady as Domini trembled, turning her toward him and pretending it was so that Sable would not see her tears. He only wanted her attention so that he could talk Domini down from the scene she was about to make. David needed to be the only voice in her head while he drowned out her mortal conscience.

The pad of his thumb dried her cheek with a gentle sweep. He kept his lips at her ear as the music drove the steady bass toward the end of the song. "Regardless of how you feel about what Sable's doing, she's made her choice. Don't you think we tried to talk her out of it?"

"No! I don't," she said helplessly. It did not matter that they probably had tried. They were enjoying Sable just as much as the two girls who had come out before her. There was no excusing that. "How can you watch her do that when you _know_ her?"

David frowned. "Don't you mean how can I watch her do that when I'm falling for _you_?"

The truth of his question stung her and the fact that he said he was falling for her was lost in the gravity of that moment. "Maybe," Domini said softly.

"My question first and then yours," he said, pulling her back to place his voice in her ear. "My watching a show has nothing to do with how I feel about you. I'm a man and whether I'm flipping through a stag mag or sitting at this table, none of it compares to actually being with _you_. I can look at her, or at them, and it's harmless. You didn't mind it until Sable came out. In fact, you were enjoying the show _with_ me," he offered with the hint of a smile, the proverbial devil on her shoulder. "It's you I'm connected to, Dom. Nothing and no one I look at changes how I feel or who I want. It's entertainment," he reminded her. "What I feel for you is far deeper than that."

David had her attention but he knew he had his work cut out for him. "As for _your_ question, I know a lot of dancers and you're aware of that," he said with the calm voice of a man with nothing to hide. "I'm a visual creature and you know that too. I'm not going to apologize for what I like." David's lips grazed her as he placed each word into the cavern of her ear, making sure she did not miss a single point. "The women I grew up watching, I knew them too. I don't look down on them, Domini and you shouldn't either," he warned. "When they're dancing, they're in complete control – of themselves and of the crowd. I see a naked girl and you're damn right I'm gonna look. I'm gonna get hot," he admitted, holding her tighter. "But that's what they want. I don't respect them less for it and I don't put my hands on them. They don't want that and neither do I. That would take away their control. I would never take that away from someone."

The lies dripped so easily off his tongue but, as they wove into the truth at the base of it all, they sold David's point for him. "I'm not doing anything wrong here and neither are they. Neither is Sable," he bit. "You have no right to pass judgment on her when she's doing something that makes her feel good. She's finally in control and she's happy." David could practically hear the wheels turning in Domini's head as he led her to the truth in his reasoning. "Why are you so hell-bent on wanting to take that away from her?"

Domini did not care that he had made some valid points. Sable was her friend and she deserved better than to stand naked on that stage for everyone to see. She was glad the song ended when it did so she could get as far away from the darkness of that club and back out into the light where things made sense.

After darting off David's lap, Domini was grateful when he let her run. She did not stop until she was outside on the Boardwalk, throwing up whisky and pizza into the nearest trash can. Domini suddenly felt as empty as she imagined Sable had become.

When she felt the hand on her shoulder a minute later, Domini wished David had given her more time. "Please don't," she begged, not wanting to hear his version of logic any more than she wanted David to see that she had just thrown up. The voice behind her was not his though and it made her spin around.

"I brought you some water," Tony said softly, biting his lip. "You ran outta there awful fast. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

She accepted the water, washing out her mouth and spitting it back into the trash can. Domini took a deep breath, glaring at the doors of the club that let satisfied men back out onto the Boardwalk. It made her feel sicker to know that their gratification came at Sable's expense.

"How can you stomach it?" she asked softly.

He leaned back against the railing and lit up a smoke with a shrug. "What, the club?" Tony blew a stream of smoke out, staring at the line that continued to grow. "It's a business," he shrugged again. "I make money giving people what they want – same as the girls."

"How can you be so casual about it?" Domini spat. "Those girls degrade themselves to make ends meet. You serve drinks, with your integrity intact!"

He shook his head. "It's no different, trust me. The girls come to the club. It's not like they're kidnapped off the Boardwalk and forced to dance. They work their shift and they go home. Some of the girls are paying their way through Med School, others have day jobs where they're not appreciated and looked down on. They come here to _get_ something, not to give it."

Tony took a drag off his cigarette, trying to explain. "Take the new girl for instance, the one who just went on. She comes in last night with her friend and asks if we're hiring. Hot girl, _great_ body," he grinned.

Noticing he had gained Domini's full attention, he laughed at her surprise. "Don't ask me why they always come straight to me soon as they're through the door," Tony shrugged. "I guess they figure the bartender always knows what's going on."

He continued, "So anyway, I ask her why she wants to dance. I ask every girl before I send 'em to the Manager because a lot of girls will say they need fast cash or it just seems exciting. I weed through those girls a lot and I send 'em right back out the door. Ya want quick cash, baby-sit. Ya want excitement," Tony frowned, "ya ride a roller coaster. This job takes a strong character and a lot of girls just aren't cut out for that." He sighed. "I got a sister. I'd like to know somebody out there would watch out for her like I try to do in there."

"What did she say?" Domini asked, hanging on his every word.

Tony looked confused. "My sister?"

"The girl from last night," she begged, needing to know the reason Sable had given him. "The one who just danced! What was her _answer_?"

"Oh, right," he laughed, getting back to his original point. "So the girl says that people have been telling her what to do for so long that she wanted to do something just for her. She wanted to be in control of what people thought about her and not tell her how to do anything." Tony nodded. "That's the right kind of answer, because now she's got that. And she's a take-no-shit kind of girl so I don't know who's been whispering in her ear that she's not good enough but she needs to cut that cord. She's got a level head. She deserves better than anybody putting her down," he said with conviction.

Domini felt all of her anger quickly replace with guilt. Had she driven Sable to that stage? Had all of Domini's pushing for her friend to be something more made Sable feel like she was nothing at all? She had not meant to hurt her, only help her. Domini realized that perhaps David and the boys had gotten to know Sable in those few weeks better than she had managed to in years. Even the bartender knew things about Sable that Domini should have known first. She had not been listening to Sable for a long time and everyone had been telling her that Domini was pushing her too hard. She had not listened to any of them either.

Marko left the club and made a beeline straight for Domini as Tony excused himself and left her in the company of her friend. "She won't come out," Marko snapped. "She thinks you're disappointed in her so she's crying in the dressing room," Marko lied as he frowned, knowing that Sable was counting her tips with a smile. His story was not real but his anger was. Marko would not stand for Domini getting in the way of anything that his protégé desired. He shook his head and snapped, "Look, I know you were surprised but you had it coming, Dom."

She crossed her arms defensively and bit back. "Why?"

"Because you act like you're better than her," he said as gently as he could. Marko knew that he could bully her into backing off. Domini put up a hostile front but he knew her weaknesses and how to use them to his advantage. He needed Domini to guilt herself into it.

"You hang out with Max and go out on the Boardwalk for a fun time while she sits at the cave trying to figure out where she fits into your new life. And _I'm_ the one left picking up the pieces when she's crying 'cause you're changing and she's still the same."

The fury built inside her until it exploded. "Still the same? Fuck _you_, Marko!" she spat. "Sable was never like this before she met you! You have no right to yell at me after sitting back and watching her ruin her life for your pleasure." Domini was spitting mad and she was not willing to believe that she had anything to do with Sable's choice, _if_ it was even her own. "Did _you_ put her up to this?" she shouted.

It was hard not to be impressed by Domini's fury when he had thought she would so easily crumble. The blood rushed to her face the angrier she got and Marko could have enjoyed it if Domini was not challenging him. "Why would I put Sable up to anything?" he snarled. "She does what she wants, Domini. You're the one who left the hole in her."

"And you were just dying to fill it," she growled. "Maybe that's your thing. You look for weak girls and prey on them, manipulating them into doing whatever you want. Is that your plan, Marko? You gonna make her work while you do nothing but hang out on the Boardwalk all night?"

He had to laugh at the partial truth she did not know the half of. Marko had indeed preyed on Sable's mortal weakness, right up until he had given her his blood and made her stronger than she ever could have been on her own. "Change the channel, girl," he snickered. "You've been watchin' too many soaps." Marko's voice shifted back to reflect his annoyance. "And let me just remind you that you're working when David's not. Does that mean he's using you as a sugar mama?" he said pointedly.

Domini turned away from the beach, knowing she could not slip into its darkness and hide. "David's _nothing_ like you."

"_Really_?" he glared. "Cause you know him so well? I've known David for lifetimes longer than you so don't you dare presume to tell me about David. We're cut from the same dark cloth, honey."

Marko's eyes grinned through their glare as he gripped the railing on either side of her, pinning her in place. "You think I don't know what he does to you when you're alone?" Her defiant stare was furious but Marko's was far more fierce.

He was glad she was looking him in the eye when he called her out. "Yeah, I know all about how he twists you in knots and then makes you come undone." His snicker growled. "Does he make it hurt the way you like? Huh?" he teased with a menacing smirk. "Yeah he _does_ - and you _love_ it. I hear you so loud I have to ask myself some nights if you _want_ me to hear it," he grinned, brushing her hair from her cheek as she shivered. "But I would never do anything to hurt David _or_ Sable. I'm loyal, unlike you. You only care about yourself."

He bent his lips to her ear, "You _want_ David to be in control of you so you don't have to think for yourself. Cause you're always so _fucking_ wrong," he spat.

Domini was not sure if she was going to cry because she was angry or just so hurt that Marko might be right. "You don't know anything about us." She was afraid her voice was shaking as much as she was.

"I know David and I know you don't stack up to the kind of girl he needs," Marko smiled, driving her right where he wanted her. If she was preoccupied with pleasing David, she would leave Sable the hell alone. "It's no wonder he's still inside, all worked up in front of the next dancer, right where you left him," he said, knowing how much it burned her.

"You're a shitty judge of character, Domini and we both know it. You don't even know your own best friend so don't act like you know mine," he scoffed. Marko was glad when she turned away to escape him so that Domini could not see his victory grin when he realized he had hooked her. All he had to do then was reel her in. "You're so damn righteous until you're the one in the spotlight. Or maybe that's it. Maybe you can't stand seeing Sable in the spotlight and leaving you in the dark for once."

"_I hate you_," she breathed through her clenched teeth.

"Hate me all you want, it's still gonna be true," he shrugged. "I'm better for her than you ever were. At least I support her independence. Sable can't afford for you to be selfish _and_ tell her what you think she should do." Keeping his eyes on her, Marko added, "Besides, _you've_ been trying to tell her what to do and, I forgot," he baited her. "How's that worked out for you? I'm not stupid enough to push her away like you do. _I'm_ not willing to lose her."

Domini turned away from him as her tears finally fell but she would never give Marko the satisfaction of seeing them. She became still and quiet with nothing left to say as she wiped her cheeks and faced the line that continued to file into the club with eager patrons. She wanted to keep Marko's magnifying glass off of her and put it back on Sable.

Her voice came softly with a defeated calm. "What kind of a man are you to watch the girl you claim to care about get up there and do that, Marko? How are you okay with watching all of those men look at her like that?"

He responded with an almost bashful smile as he thought about the girl whose veins were rich with his blood. "She's beautiful. Sable's a force to be reckoned with and, when she was up there just now, that girl lit up the joint." Marko's fury had dissipated, replaced with pride. "I'm not about to let anybody get anywhere near her though and the boys were in full support of coming out to make sure she was safe. Last night, once Paul knew what she wanted to do, he never left her side. I walked her in tonight myself and we'll _all_ walk her out. There's safety in numbers with us around. We stick together and we _don't_ run away."

Marko looked back at the club with a grin. "At the end of the night, I know that the hot girl who just teased those men is coming home with me, and _only_ me. Guys look at Sable all the time. She's used to it. They look at you too," he pointed out. "Maybe you flirt a little with Evan but you're still in David's bed every night. You tease but there are lines you don't cross."

"That's different," she said firmly. "Getting checked out on the street or harmless flirting is _not_ the same as taking your clothes off!"

Marko laughed. "Is it really that different? You think these guys don't undress you with their eyes? In _their_ heads you're naked all the fuckin time," he grinned. "We're guys; that's what we do. _I've_ pictured you naked," Marko shrugged, a grin where his shame should have been. "I can damn well guarantee that David pictured Sable long before what he saw tonight and he'll keep that image burned in his brain. Evan's probably at the store in the dark picturing you naked right now," he laughed. "Your buddy, Max?"

"Uch, stop! I get it," Domini grimaced.

"All men do it," he said casually.

She nodded, "Yeah I know that. I'm not stupid. I just, it's different."

Marko cocked his head with a curious grin. "Why, because she's getting paid to show them what they already picture in their minds?"

"Money has nothing to do with it. She's _naked_!" Domini tried to explain, unable to understand why she was the only one having trouble accepting that. "It's barely a step up from being a whore," she tried not to shout.

He cast a frown over her. "Whores let men touch them. You weren't passing much judgment on the dancers while you were sitting on David's lap with his hand between your legs while everybody, _including_ us, watched you gettin' off." Marko had no trouble holding back in Sable's defense and he drove his point home one last time. "Who's the _real_ whore, Dom?"

She clenched her teeth, trying to come up with an answer that could defend her. It was true though. Most of what Marko had said was true, despite the crass way he had said it. Domini had enjoyed the dancers and she had not looked down on them at all. While David was touching her, she had loved the feeling of all those eyes on her, drooling over her and watching what they could only see but never have. Domini felt power in showing off for the crowd but giving only David access. He had gotten off on it too. She had encouraged it.

"Maybe I _am_ a whore," she said softly.

Marko sighed, "Maybe you are and maybe you're not. But at least you're asking yourself an honest question so I won't have to. I know that Sable's not a whore and you know it too, deep down." He shrugged off her confession, "So ya like making out and a little petting in public," he grinned, watching her embarrassed flush as it mixed with relief when he did not judge her. "Who _doesn't_ get off on that?" he laughed. Marko nudged her with a grin. "It's harmless and it's fun. It's dangerous because you feel like you're doin' something naughty but it's safe because nobody's getting hurt." He smirked, "You wanna make out with David in the cave, _I'll_ sit back and watch. Paul and Dwayne would be down and you'd have a built-in audience. We're men," he laughed, "and without electricity the cave will never have a T.V. so there're some slow nights we could use a good show."

Domini's cheeks burned as she flustered, strangely relieved Marko was not angry anymore. She could not stand confrontation, no matter how angry she was. Domini wondered if he treated Sable that way too, breaking her down just to build her back up. Domini was on high alert, her suspicions growing. Marko claimed he was just being honest but Dwayne had done the same thing without brutally attacking her character.

"Let's go get Sable," she tried to smile, mustering her courage to be as supportive as she could.

"Yeah?" Marko asked, genuinely surprised that she had come around, despite how hard he had worked to push her there.

She nodded. "Yeah." Domini needed to keep her friend close but her enemy closer. Marko may have made some valid points but they did not excuse how he had gone about them. It was not going to be easy. She needed to at least let Sable know that she was behind her no matter what, if only so she could keep a close eye on her.

They walked back into the club together, Marko's arm slung around her as he dragged her along, reassuring Domini every step of the way that she was doing the right thing. They could not push her mind but they could still get inside it. Marko knew she would listen to whoever was in her ear at the time. They just had to make sure it was always one of them.

Max moved in from the shadows on the beach, rounding the railing as he leaned against it. He placed himself directly across from the doors of the club. Max wanted his disappointment to be the first thing Domini saw when she came out.

**_Okay, I hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter and that you're excited to see what comes next! This story is far from over, whether it's here or someplace else. So long as it's here, I hope you'll let me know what's on your mind! A million thank yous for reading and for being so patient! Cheers, Harley_**


	21. Chapter 21

**~ Chapter 21 ~**

**_Thank you all so much! First Guest, thank you for the support and I'm glad it made you smile! Sorry about your cheeks! Lol CK, I'm stoked that I could shock you! I wasn't sure if people would see it coming since Sable wasn't there but I tried to veer the focus away with other things until Sable stepped out. I'm so glad it wasn't obvious. Yes, David's a real ass for sure. I'm especially happy that it makes sense to people that Sable made this decision and where her motives came from. She's been pushed down for so long that, to me, it is a logical step for her to want to have power over anyone she can, in any way she can. I really enjoyed writing the fight scene, so thank you! I wish Domini could have smacked Marko but there would be no coming back from that. Lol The dynamics of the group are certainly changing. Savanna, you're right, David doesn't dole out his good graces often or for long. But it's a good step for him at least. Lol Max is always fun to have lurking around, pulling everyone's strings. He'll have more page time coming up for sure. Thank you for your patience! Second Guest, I hope your move is a smooth one and I'm sorry I couldn't post before the plug was pulled! Thank you for being so excited for the next chapter and I hope this one will make up for the late timing. Consider this chapter a twisted house-warming gift from me to you! _**

**_Thank you all so very much! I hope you enjoy this one! It's violent but there is a definite method to the madness if you delve in deep...Happy (belated) Halloween! Xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

Marko could hear the blood rushing to Domini's face as he walked behind her through the back hallway. His eyes narrowed as he pushed a silent thought to Sable's mind just before they reached the dressing room. _You've been crying and refusing to come out. Got it?_

_Trust me_, she grinned, covering her eyes in preparation. _I've got this_. _You set her up. Now let me knock her back down._

Backstage, the only person who looked awkward was Domini, because she was overdressed around the naked girls on their way to the stage. One wore a g-string while another had tasseled pasties over her nipples. Marko gave Domini a push toward the dressing room door and she loathed having his hand on the small of her back. It lingered a little too long so she scurried forward as he closed the door, leaving her inside.

Domini watched as Paul removed his hand from Sable's shoulder. It was obvious that he had been comforting her. Sable was crouched over and his face warned her of her friend's delicate mood. Domini nodded as he sat back, but did not leave. She felt offended that Paul would stay, as if it was his right to protect Sable from her. Since he was not going anywhere, and the boys seemed to have already pitted Sable against her as the outsider, Domini knew she had better grovel just to make things right; or as close to it as she could manage.

"Sable?" she asked softly, grateful for the silk robe her friend had thrown on, even though she let it part toward Paul without any shame. "It's me, Dom." She bit her lip, kneeling down at Sable's side. "Please don't cry."

"Do you even know why I'm crying?" Sable whimpered. "You probably think I'm upset because of what I did," she sniffled. "But I'm not. That isn't it at all."

Domini nodded, even though Sable could not see her with her face in her hands. "I know you're not. And you shouldn't be upset about it." It made her feel sick to say those words like she meant them. "But you shouldn't be upset about me leaving either." When Sable lifted her surprised puffy eyes, it broke Domini's heart. "I didn't leave because of you. I mean, yes, I was shocked to see you up there. But it wasn't you I left over," she lied.

Listening as Domini's lie made her heart race to the detection of Sable's ears, she cocked her head curiously. "Then why did you run out?"

She had to avert her eyes, looking anywhere other than at Sable's sad face, the one she could not bear to lie to, even as she forced herself to do it. "Those men, Sable," she shook her head. "The things they said about you. They loved you, but...it was so disrespectful. I couldn't stand them talking about you like that," Domini sighed. "But it wasn't you. You were beautiful and brave," she tried to smile.

"Don't forget flexible," Paul encouraged with a smile.

Domini scowled at him. "Please don't help."

He held his hands up defensively with a laugh. "Well she was."

Sable's lip quivered as she watched Domini, appreciating how she knelt at her feet. She wished the girl would stay on the ground and Sable wondered if she could convince her to bow while she was down there. "You really thought that?" she asked.

"I still believe that," Domini smiled. "I could never get up there and – dance," she finished awkwardly. "You've got guts and I admire that about you. I always have. But my running out had nothing to do with you, Sable. Please believe that."

_Of course I don't believe that you naïve little bitch_, Sable thought, laughing inside even as the tears brimmed to fall again. "Do you mean it, Dom? You're not disappointed in me?"

"No," Domini insisted. "You're amazing; no matter what you're doing." Her cheeks ached from the forced smile she had to put on. "I only wish those men could know how incredible you really are."

Sable wiped at her eyes, sighing with feigned relief. "I couldn't care less what those men think. They don't know me. They never will. They're nothing more than a means to an end." That much was true. "It's a rush up there, Dom," she smiled. "I owned that room tonight and all I had to do was show up." The fastest way to getting back into Domini's good graces was as easy as one simple question. "Do you know how fast I can get us our apartment with this kind of cash?"

The breath was knocked out of Domini's lungs for the second time that night. "You still want that?" she asked softly.

"Of course I do!" Sable gushed. "That's our plan, right?"

It was Domini who teared up then. "Yes."

"Well alright then," Sable smiled down at her. "This is all temporary, Dom. It's not like I want this to be my career or anything." She could see the relief wash over the girl's face. "But I made more money tonight than Max could ever afford," she laughed, fanning through the bills on the vanity.

Domini was quick to change the subject back into her favor. "Actually, I got paid tonight," she smiled. "I used it to get you something." She dug into her pocket. "I was going to let it be a surprise but I just want you to have it." Domini retrieved the chain from her pocket. "It's a heart with two halves, one for each of us." She smiled, leaning up to put it on Sable.

Sable grinned at Paul while she held her hair back for Domini to put it on her. _A broken heart, how ironic_. _My heart stopped beating and I'd love to take a bite out of hers_. She watched Paul snicker and Sable was grateful to have a friend like Paul. He always said 'yes, you should totally do that', when Domini would have wasted her whole night telling her why it would be wrong.

"Aww, thanks, friend," Sable smiled at her. "You're so sweet."

_Her blood is so fucking sweet_, Paul smirked, sniffing the air.

Domini smiled and showed off her half of the locket. "Are you ready to go back and call it a night?"

"I just need to change and grab a bite. "We'll meet you at home."

'Home' sounded better coming from Sable after she had revealed that they were still going to get their apartment together. The job was temporary and so was the cave. Domini was feeling much better about things as she left to find David, although she would never accept how Sable planned to pay for their apartment. There was no doubt in Domini's mind that Marko had put Sable up to it somehow. She just needed to keep her on track long enough to get her out of the cave and into their apartment where Domini could remind Sable who she was, before he had come along.

In the meantime, she wanted to be with David as much as she could, before he was not there every night. Domini had gotten used to him always being around. It would be up to her to ensure that David kept coming around. Some of the things that Marko had said made her think that she had better step up her game to keep David interested.

"Did ya like the tears?" Sable laughed as the door closed.

Paul grabbed a beer off the vanity and handed it to Sable, cupping his hand over his mouth as he blew out an echo of breath to mimic the sound of deafening applause.

She straightened up as Marko entered the room, clapping proudly. Sable smiled, choking up again as she held the bottle like a statue. "I'd like to thank the Academy for recognizing the depths I had to sink to in order to find the strength to play this part."

Marko laughed, kissing her lips. "You've got my vote."

Paul grinned. "My vote is for Domini to dance with you. A little girl-on-girl action? Hell yeah!"

"Never gonna happen," Marko laughed. "You should've seen her clamp up when I cornered her outside. She's a smitten kitten for David's prowl."

Sable's attention turned sour. "Cornered her?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "I've got her so worked up over trying to please David, I doubt she'll come up for air tonight. She's not thinking about anything but making him happy, which means," he grinned, "she'll back off you for a bit. She hates me for it, but she'll come around. Maybe not until after he's turned her," Marko added with a laugh, "but I'll have her eventually."

"What are you talking about?" Sable whispered.

Marko shrugged. "Maybe I'm just riding high off the fact that I sired you," he grinned proudly. "David's never done that. And even after he turns Domini, I still will have done it first. I just feel – invincible!" he laughed. "I mean, more so than usual."

"No," Sable said sharply. "I mean about having her."

"Aww, don't be jealous," Marko teased. "I watch+-ed David touch you and I didn't go off half-cocked. And you liked it so don't lie," he reminded her. "I don't see why you'd care if I got it on with her. I guarantee Domini will like it," he laughed, landing a high-five to Paul's hand.

She turned away from them, glad there was not a big mirror in front of the vanity. She supposed the club could not afford them, its money better spent on the parts of the club the crowd could see. Or maybe the girls did not want to face themselves. Sable would have given anything to see herself in a mirror just then, but those days were over. All of her days were over. Sable only had the nights, and soon she would have to share them with Domini.

"Don't be like that," Marko cooed, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "You're still my girl, Sable. You're the pack's prize but you will always be first place to me. You're _my_ girl."

She glared up at him out of the corner of her eye. "And what's mine, Marko? What do _I_ get?" she snarled.

He laughed and shrugged. "You get _me_ – and the privilege of pleasing this pack like no other girl can. It's an honor, Sable. You might not see it that way yet, but you will. You haven't been awake during our escapades long enough to know how good you are at it," he smirked.

Sable grimaced and shrugged the robe off her shoulders as she got dressed. It did not matter that Paul was watching. It was nothing he had not seen on stage or touched in her bed. It did not matter to anyone at all.

She pulled on her shorts and top, strutting across the room to take Paul's hand as she dragged him toward the door. "We'll meet you at home in a bit." She tossed the words over her shoulder as they left the dressing room.

"Where are you going?" Marko called after her.

Sable turned back. "_Your_ girl is going out to get something she can call her _own_," she bit.

"And Paul?" he asked with a quizzical frown.

"Is coming to do what you've taught him to do best...watch," Sable laughed, dragging him down the hall.

David kept Domini in front of him, his arms around her as he steered her through the crowd and outside onto the Boardwalk. He loved all of those eyes on her, watching Domini leave with him. He was anxious to get her home and cleaned up. The things he was going to do to her would leave her feeling dirty all over again.

The Boardwalk was busy as always but Domini saw it in a whole new light as they exited the club. Every man who looked her way had a guilty smile as they eyed her like a piece of meat. Did they think she had just danced on that stage? She hurried David past the line, wanting to put as much distance between herself and the club as possible. She rushed him toward his bike by the railing. Every muscle in her body tensed as Domini saw the tall man standing beside it, his frown drawn down with disappointment.

"Hi Max," she said softly.

"_Are_ you, Domini?" he asked. "Because perhaps if you were on drugs then your actions tonight might make a bit more sense."

David scowled at him, keeping Domini tucked under his arm. "She's clean. In fact we're heading _home_ to get cleaned up even more," he grinned, accentuating the word that made Max's skin crawl.

"Could you give us just a minute?" she asked David.

He rolled his eyes but nodded. "One minute, sugar. I'm timing you," he smiled, straddling his bike as they walked a few feet away.

Domini could not look Max in the eye so she stared out at the dark ocean instead. "I wasn't dancing in there you know."

He scoffed, "I should hope not! The thought never even entered my mind, Domini. I was referring to the fact that I went in to the store and found Evan doing all the work himself. He tried to cover for you I'll have you know, although I can't imagine why." Max shook his head. "Is this what I'm paying you for? To run off when I'm not looking so you can throw the money I give you away in a place no self-respecting girl should ever be near?"

How could she tell him that Sable had been inside? It would do no good to admit that she had followed David and the others in either. There was no right answer when Domini knew she was wrong. "It's not what you think, Max. I'm sorry that I left Evan alone and I'll apologize to him tomorrow." She had forgotten all about Evan with everything that had happened. "I had only meant to step out for a moment." The more she lied that night, the easier it became. "I just lost track of time."

"I guess that's an easy thing to do in a club with no windows, clocks or morals," he frowned with disdain.

She was tired of crumbling beneath the weight of Max's disappointed glare. Sable was not the only one who wanted to have some fun and Domini was well within her right to do the same. She wanted to break out of her shell and embrace the freedom she had never before let herself fully enjoy.

"You know what Max?" she said with newfound courage. "You didn't _give_ me money; I _earned_ it. And how I spend the money that _I_ earn is _my_ concern. You're my friend, not my father."

David snickered as he listened nearby, knowing that Max could hear him. Just in case he had missed it, David pushed a thought Max's way. _That's another strike in my favor old man. How much am I up to now?_

Max was shocked that they had gotten their claws so deep into Domini in the short time he had been absent. He would have to be more vigilant in the future. It would not be the end of the world if he lost Domini to the pack but he would never hear the end of it if he lost her to David. Eternity was an awfully long time to have to listen to David gloat.

"You're right about one thing, Domini," Max nodded. "I'm not your father." His eyes narrowed over her. "But you're wrong about the other part. I'm not your friend either." He was elated to see how much those words stung her. It meant he still had a chance to win her back. "Friends don't treat one another like that. I've done nothing but reach out to you and try to help you. If you don't want my help, then I won't offer it again. I'll be nothing more than your boss." He straightened his tie. "So as your boss, I'm clocking you out for the night. You're done," he frowned. "When you show up tomorrow night, be on time and ready to work. We re-open in a few days and the new stock will be coming in. That is, if you still plan on working at all."

She held her ground, but shrunk back into the shadow Max cast over her. "Please don't be mad. I'm just trying to make my own way."

"Then it's a real shame you're following Sable and David wherever they go," he said with a callous tone. "And I'm not mad. I'd have to care to get upset. I am no longer certain I want to invest that kind of effort in someone who cannot fathom the simple appreciation for kindness."

"Max," she sighed, feeling worse.

"Goodnight, _Miss Morrison_," he said with a curt emphasis while he strolled away. Max had taken a page out of David's book and it had worked like a charm. Maybe he had been right and all Domini wanted was to be dominated. Max could treat her like crap just as easily as David could. She was accustomed to it to the point that the girl actually craved it on some level. He knew that in less than twenty-four hours Domini would be begging him to forgive her. Max might even consider it, but he would make her work for it. First he needed to have a talk with Evan. There was so much work to do.

David revved his engine, nodding to Domini as she marched over to his side. "You ready to ride?" he smiled.

She took David's hand as he helped her onto the back of his bike and she wrapped her arms around him. There was nothing left on the Boardwalk to stay for. "Let's go home," she shouted over the engine.

The pier that jutted out over the ocean was quiet with the last straggle of couples meandering aimlessly under the moon. They had no idea of the carnage some thirty feet beneath them where the blood of four bodies seeped into the sand.

Sable and Paul laughed with one another as they panted over the broken bodies. Sable had led the men, one by one, down to the shoreline where the light could not reach. She had chosen men from all walks of life, a variety of donors willing to walk away with the girl from the stage they never thought had seen them, even though they had seen all of her. She and Paul had taken turns, alternating the actual kill while they had both drained them, sandwiching the men between them. The bodies lay in a haphazard pile beside them but Sable was far from finished.

"Go get me two girls," she smiled at Paul.

He laughed, throwing back his hair and making sure he had not gotten any blood on his mane. "You're insatiable, girl! I love that about you!" He grinned, "David never lets us eat this much in one place. Too suspicious," he rolled his eyes.

She shrugged one shoulder up to her coy smile. "That's why I like running with you. You never say no to me."

He nodded with a smirk. "I'll kick it with you anytime, girl. Any preference in wine, m'lady?" he bowed.

Sable smiled. "Red _and_ white please."

"Thirsty girl," he laughed. "A redhead and a blonde coming right up." Paul ran off toward the Boardwalk to collect dessert. Sable was skilled at leading men away from the crowds but Paul had a special way with luring pretty girls. He enjoyed splitting his meals with Sable and it was refreshing to run with someone who was as reckless and fun as he was.

It was not long before Paul returned with a girl on each arm, giggling in his ear. He loved the moment when laughter turned to screams. The pitch changed and their breathing altered, the heart raced and the blood rushed with fear while adrenaline enlarged the muscles that could never be strong enough to protect them. There was a ceremony to the kill and Paul loved every note that played like music to his ears.

"I want you to meet my..." Paul's smile fell as they approached Sable and the scene she had set. "...my awkward friend, Sable," he frowned, cocking his head curiously.

Sable looked up at him with a wicked smile from the center of the circle she had created out of the bodies. She had propped them up around her, their open, glazed eyes facing her in frozen horror.

Confusion welled up in Paul's stomach along with the sickening feeling that Sable had slipped back into that unsteady place where she lost her balance. The way she smiled up at him like a little girl at the center of a tea party of dead animals unnerved him.

He could only imagine what the sight was doing to the two girls on either side of him. Before they could scream, Paul cupped his hands behind their heads and brought them together with a hard crack, knocking them out cold against each other.

Sable's eyes softened with disappointment. "What did you do that for? I would've made room for them," she insisted.

He nodded. "Yeah, no doubt. And um, _what_ exactly are you doing?

The grin returned to Sable's face. "I'm putting on a play for you! Come and sit down," she urged, jumping up to her feet and leaping over the positioned bodies. "Here, you can have my seat," she offered. She laughed as Paul grimaced. "Come on now, you don't want to hurt my feelings do you?" she teased.

He swallowed hard, shaking his head. "No, I do _not_." It seemed the safest answer, but one he regretted as he sat down and stared into the gaping mouth of the first man they had killed together earlier, when it had still been fun. "Now what?" he asked nervously, wondering how long he should wait before calling his brothers for help.

"Now, you watch the show," Sable smirked. She knelt down behind the man directly in front of Paul. She clenched a fistful of blonde hair at the back of his head and made it nod as she put on her deepest voice. "I'm David – and I hate everything."

Paul laughed so hard he would have doubled back if there was not a propped up body behind him. "That is SO David! Do more, do more!"

Sable snickered, lifting the dead man's hand and waving it aimlessly through the air, her voice as gruff as she could muster. "I wish I could stay and talk, Paul, but I've gotta go and listen to Domini's cry some more. I'll have to wring out her pillow before she can sleep on it because I'm too proud to just smother her with it."

Clapping his hands excitedly, Paul wished he had thought of making a morbid marionette out of their kills long ago. There was magnificence to Sable's madness that he could get behind. "This is brilliant!" He turned to the body on the right of 'David'. "Tell me that's Marko," he laughed, realizing she had picked each man out for a reason. The man's curly blonde hair made him a literal dead-ringer for his brother. "Do Marko!"

She slid to the side and animated his arms. "Hey man! Isn't Sable hot?"

"Finer by the minute," he laughed, changing his tone into his best interviewer voice. "Tell me, Marko. Has becoming a Sire changed you?"

"Hell yeah," Sable said, nodding the man's head. "I've got bigger balls now. These chaps barely leave room for em for anymore."

Paul snickered, nodding behind him to the next man with long dark hair. "Nice, but let's hear what Dwayne has to say." He watched as she dragged herself across the sand to sit behind him. Paul waited but she did not make him move or talk at all. "Well, Dwayne?"

Sable hid behind him. "Shhh, Dwayne's pensively thinking about what he'd really like to say to David but never will."

"Ha!" Paul laughed. She had him in stitches and he had no idea that playing with his food could be so fun. He turned to the blonde in a Mötley Crüe shirt. "No way! What's up, Paul? You're a handsome devil, man," he grinned.

"Yeaahhh," she laughed in a low-pitched howl, pulling his blonde locks backward to tip his head. "Spark that shit and let's burn the night off! Don't hold out on me, man. I know ya got one in your pocket."

He nodded, reaching into his jacket with a grin. "You know me so well, Paul. That's an excellent idea." Paul lit up the joint and offered it to his dead counterpart. "No? More for me then, man," he laughed.

Sable frowned, losing interest in the play when there were more characters to introduce. "I'm bored with these meat puppets," she whispered. "I want a doll who can _dance_."

She eyed the unconscious girls just outside the circle of bodies, slowly stalking across the sand toward the redhead. She knelt over her and wound her hand back, striking it across the girl's cheek so hard that it knocked her head to the opposite side. "_Wake up_," she seethed over her as the girl's eyes fluttered.

Her cheek stung and her head pounded, a small trickle of blood running down her forehead as a soft tongue licked it away. The girl recoiled, trying to scoot back in the sand as the stranger's grin pulled back into view. "What are you doing? What do you want?" she cried.

Sable cocked her head to the side, watching her with curious eyes. "One question at a time, doll. What I'm doing, is figuring out if I should eat you or play with you. What I want, is your blood all over me like a second skin," she grinned darkly, digging her nails into the girl's wrists and drawing blood.

"Oh my God!" the girl cried, tears streaming down her face as she trembled beneath her captor.

The look in the redhead's eyes was tantalizing as Sable discovered the beauty of how she herself must have looked when they tormented her. It was exhilarating and she admired the draw. Sable pulled her up to her shaky feet.

"Now strip," she smiled, moving behind her.

"What?" the girl whimpered, trying desperately to understand what was going on. Her new view revealed the bodies around the man sitting in the sand, their mouths hanging open with dead eyes facing him. She started to scream but her mouth was quickly covered.

Sable's mouth pressed the girl's ear as she gripped her from behind, seething her clear message. "Cry all you fucking want but if you scream I will gut you so fast that your insides will hit the sand before your body does."

Paul covered his snicker, nodding to the girl. "I'd do what she says. She can totally make that happen. You have no idea the power this girl has or what she's capable of."

"Aww," Sable cooed, flattered as she tucked her chin over the crying girl's shoulder with a smile. "_Thank_ you." She turned, her lips so close that they brushed the girl's cheek. "Isn't he just the sweetest?" Sable spun the girl around and glared into her eyes, inserting her thoughts.

_Now strip and show him how that hot little body of yours can move._

Sable approached the circle and stepped over the dead blonde man with his back to the girl. "David, you don't get to watch," she said smugly, turning the others' heads. "The rest of you have my permission."

Paul laughed, tucking his joint into the Paul doll's hand to hold for him. He pulled Sable to his side as they watched the girl peel off her clothes until she stood naked before them. "You really know how to have a good time," he smiled, kissing Sable's cheek as she snuggled in closer.

The girl moved slowly, as Sable nodded along. Her vacant eyes stared off into the distance. Her arms reached out in a Hawaiian dance, rolling her shoulders and swiveling her hips to music that no one else could hear. Sable could hear it though. She had danced to it only an hour earlier and she had done it better.

"You're awful at this," she laughed. "It's like you're not even trying, Sable." She rolled her eyes. "Please tell me I didn't look like that when I danced," she sighed.

Paul nuzzled his lips against Sable's neck, caressing her with the bridge of his nose. "You were way hotter."

"Right?" she nodded, tilting her head to allow him more access. If Marko wanted to share her, Sable could at least have control over when.

She reached up, smoothing her hand along Paul's strong jaw and turning his lips to hers. His tongue slipped against hers, parting her lips further. She could taste the acrid flavor of the drug on him and it was intoxicating. Paul's hand slid along her waist, rising up beneath her shirt to cup her full breast. She moaned softly as his fingers grazed her nipple into a point he could pinch. Sable's hand slipped down over his lap, massaging Paul through his pale jeans.

Her eyes turned toward the dancing girl as Paul's tongue tasted the nape of her neck with soft licks. "Come," she ordered her, watching the obedient slave move forward and step absently over the dead man still sitting up in front of them. Sable lifted the girl's leg, hooking it over Paul's shoulder as she grinned at him. "Taste her, Paul."

He smiled at Sable, turning away from her to feast his tongue between the girl's thighs. His hand slapped the back of the girl's leg as he gripped her, driving his tongue deeper while her balance wavered.

Rising up, Sable moved behind her, drawing the girl's red hair back to reveal her moans to the darkness of the pier above. She pressed her body against her double, becoming a part of her. "Do you like Sable?" she smiled over the girl's shoulder, looking down at him like he was between her own legs.

His open mouth grazed the girl's thigh, dragging his lips against her bare flesh as he looked up at them. "She's good. But she's a poor substitute for you," he grinned.

"Mmm," Sable moaned. "Right answer, Paul." She gripped the back of the girl's neck and tore her from Paul's lips, throwing her to the ground beside the blonde. "Stay, Sable," she growled with a dominating order.

Sable's knees crashed into the sand as she looked back over her shoulder with a smile to Paul. "I want to watch you kill Domini. _Now_," she growled.

He crawled across the sand, stalking his way to the blonde's side. "How do you want her to go?" he grinned. "Fast or slow?"

Sable sat back, laying her dazed double's head in her lap as she brushed her hair with affection. "Down on her knees, begging with a whimper," she smiled. "Will you do that for me, Paul?"

He laughed and nodded. "With pleasure." Paul knew what Sable wanted and he was more than happy to do it. He was well aware of what it was like to be the youngest in the pack and the rush that came from playing with new power.

His lips whispered at the girl's ear as he lifted her up. "Wake up, Domini." Paul raked his nail down the blonde's shirt, cutting it open as he dug his claws through her flesh. He smiled as the girl shot back into consciousness with a scream and he covered her mouth quickly. "Get on your knees, girl."

Her muffled scream found no escape as he dragged her forward to her knees. The girl's eyes darted around, staring at the redhead holding her naked friend. Her tears spilled down, wetting the sand as she was held in place for what she could only imagine would be her execution.

Paul dug his knee into the girl's back, arching her as he pulled her blonde hair. "Tell her you're sorry."

"What?" she whimpered.

"Tell her you're sorry," he growled.

The girl shook her head, not understanding, but willing to say anything if it meant she might live. "I'm sorry," she cried.

Sable smiled. "I wish I could forgive you but...well, I just don't want to," she laughed, petting the redhead's hair in her lap. "Tell me why you should live."

The question only made the girl cry harder. "Because I don't want to die," she sobbed.

All Sable could do was roll her eyes. "Thank you Princess Obvious." She snapped, "I mean give me a good reason and maybe you can live." Paul cocked his head with a confused frown. Sable shook her head, reassuring him they would kill her anyway but the girl cried harder when she saw it. "Oh stop. I'm just teasing," Sable laughed. "You're always so fucking sensitive, Domini."

"Who is that?" she cried. "I'm not who you think I am! There's been a mistake! My name is Michelle!"

"No," she snapped. "You're Domini. Now tell me why you should live."

The girl could not fathom why her friend was not crying or struggling. Nothing made any sense but there was still hope that she could live through the ordeal. "Please," she begged. "I'm a good person. I work for a non-profit organization. We're cleaning up the beaches," she nodded emphatically.

"Uch," Sable scoffed. "You _are_ Domini." While Paul laughed, she looked around at the bodies. "Your group is doing a shitty job if this is what you call a clean beach," Sable smiled. "Do you think you can clean all of this up?"

"Yes," the girl begged. "If that's what you want."

Sable nodded with amusement. "What else will you do for me?"

"Anything!" she breathed as Paul held her hair back tighter, almost raising her off her knees in the pull. "I'll do anything you want!"

She looked up at Paul with a smile and nodded before turning her cold eyes back to the Domini double. "I want you to _fucking die_," she seethed.

Paul took his cue as the girl began to scream and sunk his fangs through the flesh of her neck. Her blood sprayed as he drank, running down to soak into her shirt. Paul reached out for Sable's hand and pulled her forward, inviting her to feed with him. The redhead slumped to the sand as Sable joined him, biting her fangs into the opposite side of the blonde's neck as they fed with her between them, draining every last drop they could siphon.

They let the girl's wasted body fall forward as they moved up to fill the space she had left between them. Their lips crashed together, tasting the girl's blood on each other's tongues. They groped and pawed at one another, driven by primal exhilaration. With sudden but seamless transition, Sable pulled back from Paul with a victorious grin, grabbed hold of the redhead and threw her fist across her face. The force she used was not held back and the girl was dead after the very first blow. She never felt the punches that followed or the knee crushing through her ribs.

Paul fell backward off his knees, his mouth open in horror. What had begun as a game he had very much enjoyed had turned into a nightmare even he wanted no part of. To frighten and feed was a thrill but Sable had not even fed off the redhead. She was destroying the girl beneath her. What was even more terrifying was that she was destroying the girl she had named after herself.

"Hey, hey!" Paul shouted, jumping forward and then slinking back as Sable's bloody grin shot over her shoulder at him. Her face was not red from the adventure of feeding; it was stained with the blood of a body pulverized from a brutal beating. "Stop," he begged softly.

Sable shrugged, completely calm in an instant. "Why would I do that?" she asked innocently.

He shivered and shook his head. "Why would you do _that_?"

She looked down at the face that no longer looked like hers, or anyone's for that matter. "Because she was weak. And I'm not," Sable smiled. "And now she knows it."

Paul was not having fun anymore and he suddenly missed the cave. He was not prepared to handle anything like that and he wanted his brothers and all of their infinite wisdom. "I want to go home," Paul said softly.

She nodded. "Yes, Paul. Let's go home." She started to rise, but thought better of it as she dragged the redhead to the blonde's side.

Sable wiped her hand across what was left of the dead girl's face and smeared the blood over the blonde's hair, painting it red while Paul threw up in the distance. "There, Domini," she smiled. "That's the closest you'll ever get to being me." She turned to the mess that used to be a girl beside her. "Although that's not saying much is it, Sable?" she whispered.

The waiting period on how long he should wait to call for his brothers had ended. **_Come fucking NOW!_** Paul's mind screamed to his brothers.

He waited a safe distance from Sable, covering the blood he had thrown up so his brothers would not see how afraid he had been. Paul doubted any one of them would have reacted any differently though. He needed them to hurry. Paul did not want Sable to turn around and face him with that sickening smile again. It was all wrong and so was she.

He was grateful when her attention remained distracted but he was sickened again as he watched where it led. Sable jumped to her feet, running to the circle of dead men, kicking her boot through the David doll's head and stomping the Marko puppet into the sand. She destroyed the circle, leaving only 'Paul' and 'Dwayne' untouched until she was curled over her knees, sobbing.

The roar of motorcycles tore across the beach as the brothers approached the bloody scene. David came up on Paul with an angry snarl. "You yell in our heads like that and it better be for a damn good reason. Domini's sitting back at the cave alone and..." There was no reason to finish his tirade once he saw the six bodies, three of which did not look like they had ever been human. He stumbled backward, grabbing onto Paul's shoulder to steady himself. "Paul, what..." He could only shake his head, holding Marko back from running to Sable's side.

Paul gulped softly. "It's the blood," he whispered. "Too little, or too much of it - and it pushes her over the edge. She was fine until she fed past what she needed. She just lost it, man."

Marko nodded, looking around at the carnage. "We have to find a balance then."

Dwayne shook his head. "There is nothing balanced about her." He looked to Marko and David. "What have you done to her?"

"We didn't do this," Marko snapped. "She's just fresh and she needs to learn her limit."

He shook his head again, slower with deliberate pause. "This is not the work of a baby, Marko. This is unbridled rage. And you better make it right or she'll turn on the pack instead of the people."

Marko turned to David. "What do I do?"

Paul frowned. "Well for starters, stop asking _him_." He nodded toward the dead blonde men cracked open by the broken circle as their counterparts gasped with realization. "I think it's pretty fuckin clear she don't wanna hear from either one of you." Paul turned to Dwayne. "What do we do, man?"

He crept to Sable's side as the others readied themselves to protect him. Dwayne reached down, lifting Sable up into his arms as she curled into his chest and let him carry her away to his bike. She straddled his body, holding onto him as she cried.

Dwayne nodded toward the crime scene, advising them all to clean it up while he took Sable somewhere far away from them. He needed to talk to her and tell her that somehow it would all be okay. He needed to listen to Sable and let her drain her emotions before she could ever drink again. Dwayne had a story to share and he did not want the others to watch him relive it. He would do it for Sable though. He knew he could save her, because she was worth it.

**_Whew! I swear, if this story gets pulled before Dwayne can finally tell his story, ugh! It's taken twenty-one chapters just to get him to open up! Lol And let's face it, the man doesn't say much, but when he does, it's worth the listen. I hope you want to hear his story too! Please let me know. I realize this was an incredibly violent chapter but it was what was necessary for Sable to reach a breaking point of epic proportion. I finished this early this morning before dawn after a wicked Halloween with friends. It practically wrote itself! I hope you understand the reasoning behind Sable's disturbing actions. I also hope you're looking forward to the next installment. It won't be nearly as intense as this Halloween fright was but the momentum is far from slowing down. I hope you'll come back to see what's to come. Your thoughts are a sugar high better than chocolate to me. Trick r' Treat? Xo Harley_**


	22. Chapter 22

**~ Chapter 22 ~**

**_Thank you all very, very much! I love coming to my phone and computer to find private messages and reviews, especially when you really read between the lines and understand the characters and their motives. Please forgive the long absence of between chapters! I've been averaging 65 hour work weeks and it's really taking its toll. Thank you for your excitement and patience!_**

**_Sable has indeed been beaten down into hating herself and feeling worthless. This chapter will be a much less intense storyline and it's time for Dwayne to get his page-time! _**

**_On a side note, I realized that none of the Warning Disclaimers were showing up on all of the previous chapters I went back to edit. Apparently I put them into Doc Mngr and saved but did not replace them so they never went live. This is now fixed. I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to let me know what's on your mind! Thank you all so very much! Xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

The turbulent ocean crashed against the pilings of the pier, embedding the blood and bone fragments from the sinking bodies into the splinters of old and wet wood. The moon was too bright to fly the bodies out farther at the risk of being seen, even with so few people out in the late hour. The three remaining brothers stood beneath the pier, watching the blood dilute on every wave the tide brought back to shore.

It was Marko who finally spoke, unable to stand the silence beneath the turbulent waves striking the pier. Even then, his voice barely rose above a whisper, dissolving into the night like the bodies into the ocean. "What the hell happened out here, Paul?"

The absolute truth was hiding in the well of Paul's throat, a secret he was not willing to reveal to even his brothers. He had taken part in the laughter before it had turned to lunacy. Paul shook his head slowly, watching the last body sink beneath the waves. "We fed, a lot...and then she just...she changed."

"No," Marko bit, holding back his voice due to the unsteady tone it was sure to carry. "Not all of those skulls were cracked open and I dropped the one with blood-soaked curls still stuck to it into the ocean _myself_," he shivered, his voice barely detectable anymore. The way Paul had nodded toward the two men's bodies, warning him and David to back off, had left him feeling colder than ever. Marko covered his eyes with a trembling hand. "What did I just bury out there?"

Not one of them dared to look at the other. They stood shoulder to shoulder, continuing to stare out at the rising swells tucked behind the curling waves, knowing what lied beneath them.

Chewing at his lip, Paul searched for answer that would not betray Sable, or himself. "We killed them together but...then she just...killed them again."

"There's more," David said softly. "Don't hold back on us, Paul," he warned without any hint of threat in his voice. He was too afraid of what the answer would be.

Just then, Paul wished he had left with Dwayne. Sable was his pack-mate and it was his job to protect her, even from herself. She had taken things too far but Sable was not the first of them to do so. They had all pushed her over the edge, long before she jumped.

His brow furrowed under the weight of his memories from earlier in the night that could not be revealed. Sable was not afraid to mock the pack and she had no qualms about how fun it had been. She had a sense of humor that had been lacking in the pack for a while, when everything had become so serious. Poking fun at each of them was not personal, at least not until it had become violently personal. If they knew the game she had made, they would scold her just as they did to him when Paul ever dared to carry his humor just a little farther than their egos would permit. He did not want that for Sable and he would not allow it.

"That's all there was to it. We fed and then she had too much."

David scowled. "And you expect us to believe that?"

"I expect you to _accept_ that because I'm your brother and I'm telling you that's all that happened," Paul bit back. He could see the flash in David's eyes, questioning where Paul's loyalty lied. There was no backing down then. Sable would not have backed down if she was not off with Dwayne, trying to understand where her broken pieces fit into the pack.

He sighed, letting them in on as much as he could without getting her into more trouble than she already was. "She's angry with both of you," Paul said softly, riddled with guilt. If he had known how fun Sable would be, he would not have hazed her so much before she was turned. He would have treated her like the pack member she was destined to become instead of the temporary mortal she had been at the time. The worst part was that Sable did not blame Paul at all.

Paul took a deep breath for courage, a habit he was still too young to break. "And I'm angry too." He whispered those words, unable or unwilling to say it any louder as his brothers' eyes slowly turned on him.

"What the fuck do you have to be angry about, Paul?" David asked with a low growl. "If anyone should be angry, it's us. This is the second time we've had to come out here to clean up Sable's mess while you stood by and did nothing but call for us." David's eyes narrowed over him even as his voice encouraged Paul to be honest. "Please, share your concern." It was a dare and they all knew it.

Paul took a step back but he forced his voice outward with conviction. "Just because you treat Sable like a pet doesn't make her one. She's part of our pack and don't tell me that she's not," he snarled, despite how hard he tried to keep his tone in check. "If you didn't want Sable to be one of us then you never should have turned her. You can't break something into jagged pieces and then grip them tight in your hand with the delusion that they'll never cut you!" Paul had not realized how angry he was until he had watched Sable destroy what she saw as her own image. "She hates herself, man, and she hates both of you for making her feel that way."

David mused, "So you're the good guy then huh, Paul?"

"No!" he shouted, biting his lip. "No," Paul said with a more respectful tone. "But at least I'm giving her the freedom to explore what she's become. She's _earned_ that much, don't ya think?" he begged.

Marko finally found his own voice again. "No, Paul. I _don't_. Do you see what happens when you give her freedom?" he nodded toward the watery graveyard beneath the pier. "She has to be taught how to control herself or she'll never learn."

"How can she learn control when all you do is dominate _her_?" Paul challenged. "You're her fucking Sire, Marko! You have a responsibility to Sable, not the other way around. You don't own her," he spat. "You _owe_ her!"

He grabbed the lapels of Paul's jacket, pulling him closer with a snarl on his lips. "I made her _immortal_!"

He looked Marko in the eye, unshakable in his need to speak for Sable. Paul's eyes glared but his voice offered a gentle truth. "You made her _insignificant_."

The fury in Marko's face dissipated as he froze in the wake of those words he could not help but hear more clearly than he wanted to. He looked into Paul's eyes, seeing the youthfulness that his immortal stare had yet to grow out of. Paul was more like Sable than he was like them. He connected with her on a level none of them had bothered to attempt. Paul understood Sable in a way that Marko had stopped trying to, so wrapped up in the glory of his new stature and the pride it allowed him. It had been so long since they had turned their youngest brother, Marko had forgotten how much time it had taken Max and David to help him adjust. To Paul, it had only been a blink of time compared to theirs.

Paul was not sure if Marko was going to hit him and it was awkward in the waiting as his brother continued to grip him. When Marko suddenly released him and pulled him in, Paul was relieved and hugged him back.

David rolled his eyes and lit a smoke. "If you two girls need a moment I can meet ya back at the cave. There's an _actual_ girl back there I'd rather be with and very much like to be fucking right now." He blew a billow of smoke into the sky as they turned to him. "But please, feel free to continue your therapy session til the time runs out on nature's clock," he pointed to the sinking moon.

"We need to make some changes to our plan," Marko admitted.

David laughed, taking another drag as he shook his head. "Changes? No dice," he snickered, even as his inflection turned darker with anger. "We're not changing anything just because Paul discovered his backbone isn't there to keep him from falling over and your conscience grew back from the dead-lands of your fucking memory." He pointed at them with a dark grin. "And let me correct you before my fucking hand needs to. This is not _our_ plan. It's _mine_," he said with a cool smile, "and I ain't changin' a goddamn thing."

Crossing over the sand, Marko stood before him, feeling the power of his connection to Sable give him confidence. "Your plan for Sable ended the minute you gave her to me to sire. _I_ decide what happens to her. You relinquished your claim to her the minute she became mine."

He threw his cigarette down and stepped forward to square off with Marko, seething, "You ungrateful little shit."

Marko shook his head, not backing down. "You should be grateful I'm still willing to help you with _your_ plan when I am well within my right to make plans of my own." He did not want to go up against his brother but Paul was right. Marko had a responsibility to his fledgling he had yet to accept. "If I wanted to, I could tell Sable to bleed your little Domini dry. And we both know she'd do it without an order. All I'd have to do is _let_ her."

It was even more uncomfortable for Paul to watch his brothers challenge one another than it had been for him to see Sable dismantle the resemblance of their meat puppets. He shifted nervously over the sand, biting at his nail.

David knew he had to hold reverence for the authority that he, himself, had given Marko as a Sire but he was not willing to surrender the respect he deserved as the leader of their pack. "You let her off her leash anywhere near Domini and Max will kill us both," he reminded him. "Do you really want Paul raising your little girl? He's ballsy but the kid ain't ready to be a daddy."

Paul lifted a finger in the air to interject. "Um, I'm gonna have to take a side on this one. No please." He held his hands up in defense as he backed up. "Just sayin'."

The tension was so thick Marko wished he still breathed so he could step back for fresh air. A single move away from David in that moment, even to the side instead of backward, would surrender his position. "Max would understand what you can't, David," he growled. "Because he's a Sire, like _me_."

While Paul ducked down in the sand for the impending dismemberment of his brother, David's body tensed in preparation for the fight. He paused, every muscle in his body repelled by the thought of truly hurting Marko in any way. "Max," he whispered, closing his eyes with a deep sigh.

Marko was still braced for a blow, fight or flight the only options his instincts would allow him to focus on. As he waited, the anxiousness that hung in the air was stifling. "What about him?" he said on a nervous high. "Well?" he snapped, his fists shaking to either block or throw.

It was David who made the move to step back, falling down to sit in the sand. He gripped his head with his hands, resting his elbows on his knees in frustration. "Max said this would happen. I didn't believe him but the old man was right," he sighed, shaking his head with an angry laugh. "Be careful what you wish for," he recited, hearing Max's voice in his head. David recalled everything his Sire had told him, only then understanding it all. He mocked Max's casual lecture with a laugh, "Take her life; see what comes back." He sighed. "I'm so fucking stupid."

"Um," Paul fidgeted from a safe distance. "There's not a lick of actual information in your revelation, man. We're gonna need a hint."

He looked up at them, patting the sand at his side. "Take a seat boys. We've all been taken for a ride and it'll exhaust you when you realize it's over."

He waited for his brothers to sit down and join his pity party. "Max knew all along," he said with an angry smile. "He knew we'd spend all of our time chasing that tail around town trying to impound what we never stood a chance to leash."

Paul nodded but then paused, shaking his head. "Nope. I still don't get it."

Marko grimaced. "I do. Max saw this coming a mile away, didn't he," he realized as David nodded. "He knew we'd turn on one another and destroy each other trying to control her. Sable was too broken to be whole and he knew I'd never be able to handle her. Max didn't give us a gift," he sighed. "It was a curse. And it's what we asked for."

With a leap to his feet, Paul brushed the sand off himself. "_I_ didn't ask for shit! I don't _wanna_ be cursed," he frowned. "I just want to laugh and feed and fuck and enjoy a meat puppet show!" He got quiet as their confused eyes looked up at him. Paul sat back down quickly. "Sooo, Max – what a clever bastard, right?" he frowned, veering the conversation back to anyone else talking besides him.

David eyed him with stupefied perplexity. "_Anyway_," he cocked his head, letting it go. "Max knew damn well we'd be too distracted with Sable to keep up with Domini, which is what he wants. We're cleaning up messes and starting fires between us left and right while he's sitting back and watching us wear ourselves out."

A nod from Marko put them back on the same page. "You need to focus on Domini and I'm gonna work on figuring out where the line in Sable's mind gets crossed. We need to know her limits, without pushing her over them."

"You can't," Paul said softly, hating to have to side against Sable, even for her own good. "I mean, you kind of _have_ to push her over the edge if you're going to find the brink."

David nodded. "The only way to know how little is too little and how much is too much, is to starve her and then oversaturate her thirst." He looked to Marko, offering him the choice only her Sire could decide. "Are you willing to put her through that?"

He thought about it for a moment, feeling the crushing weight of his new responsibility. Marko looked at his brothers, knowing they would finally go along with whatever he chose. But what did Marko think was right? "Let's just see what happens after Dwayne talks to Sable okay?" He was not ready to make a decision on his own just yet, no matter how much he enjoyed his freedom to.

There was nothing David could say against him for not choosing. "I need to get back to Domini." When he sired her, no one would tell him what to do with her. She would not be fragile like Sable. David could bend her and break her all he wanted and no one would stop him, not even Max. He would rebuild her into the queen he knew his little princess could become.

"Let's all go," Marko agreed, heading for the bikes. "I need to be there when Sable gets home."

Marko hated to grovel, but he could at least make it up to her. He did not want to see Sable hurt, or worse, be the cause of it; not anymore, not now that she was his. It had never entered Marko's mind that she would be offended by his desires. Paul had been right; Sable was one of them, but she was fresh. No matter what Marko had made her, Sable was still a girl. She did not react in the same way any of the brothers would. He never should have been so callous about his future plans. She had accepted everything Marko had told her, yet he had given her absolutely nothing in return. That had to change.

David called out over the roar of their engines. "Paul?"

"Yeah man."

His brow furrowed, his confusion returning. "What the fuck is a meat puppet?"

Paul revved his engine louder, pointing to his ears and shaking his head. "What?" he mouthed, not wanting to answer that question. "I can't hear you."

David grinned, raising a brow as he laughed off the poor excuse Paul was trying to pull over. He injected his question into Paul's mind where it could be heard without fault. _What – the fuck – is a meat puppet?_

He only smirked and laughed, offering the only response he could. "Trust me, man. You _don't_ wanna' know. It'd keep you up in a way even the death sleep couldn't pull you from. Later man!" Paul took off for the cave, his howl trailing into the wind behind him.

High atop the Ferris Wheel, Dwayne watched the boys ride away from the pier. Sable never saw them, still tucked into his side as her tears ran down his bare chest. She had cuddled herself inside the flaps of his leather jacket, needing the solid reassurance of flesh against her that she did not want to devour.

He had not spoken a single word on the ride back to the Boardwalk, waiting for it to empty. Dwayne had remained quiet as he had flown them up to the top bucket seat, high above the world he knew Sable needed to escape for a while. It was finally time he broke his silence.

"C'mere, girl. You can't hide in there forever," he nodded, tipping her chin as she sat up to fill her own space on the bench. "How did you feel now?"

Sable sniffled, shaking her head. "Like an idiot."

He smiled and cocked his head. "You might feel like an idiot, but that doesn't make you one. You know the difference right?"

"I don't know anything at all anymore," she whispered. "I can't tell up from down or left from right. I only know that every time I rise, I fall, and when I turn, I keep spinning."

He nodded, wiping the last tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "That's why _I'm_ here; to be your anchor."

She looked up at Dwayne's soft expression, finding nothing but kindness and concern in his eyes. There was no agenda behind them and he was not telling her what to do. Sable was sure he would have let her keep crying if she had any tears left to shed.

"Why are you so different from them?" she asked.

He smiled sadly. "In a lot of ways I'm not. I'm thirsty to the point of greed. I get off on the chase before a kill and I have no conscience when it comes to putting a mortal out of its misery." Dwayne's hand slipped from Sable's shoulder and hung on the back of the seat with close proximity but respectful distance. "I'm only different from them in the way that I was before I was turned."

"What do you mean?"

He forced himself to look at her innocent face, despite the blood still caked in a spray across it. He licked the tip of his thumb and smudged away the stains. "What do you feel when you think about Domini and your past together?"

She shrugged without any regard. "Nothing."

He shook his head. "Then think harder."

Sable did not understand. "It's gone, all of it. I have no attachments to the life I had. I think my conscience was ripped out with my soul," she frowned. "I don't feel anymore."

"You don't feel like you _used_ to," he corrected her gently. "It's still there, Sable. Your conscience as you knew it is gone, that's true. But the memories are still in here," Dwayne tapped her temple, brushing her hair back. "I will always have reverence for nature, even as it repels me for the things that I do. Paul will always be funny and carefree because that's who he always was. Marko will forever want to help the pack and be favored for his contributions; to feel needed. That's just who he was and is."

"And David?" she frowned.

He laughed. "Will always be David. From what I've heard, he was a motherfucker when he had a heart that ignored him and I can attest to the fact that he can be an asshole now that he doesn't need it. But he's also a provider for this pack and he would tear apart anyone who tried to break us up. He would battle to his own death to protect you, Sable, even after all he's done to you himself." He shrugged, "We take each other for what we are. We hurt each other like family and we support one another like the pack we're bound to. But we are all just amplified versions of who we've always been."

Dwayne started over, taking Sable's focus off the pack and putting it back into terms that were relevant to her. "Think of your past like an amputated appendage. A man has his leg cut off, but in the middle of the night he can still feel it itch where his hand comes up empty. Your memories are like shadow pains now. They're severed but they're still a part of you." He paused, watching her eyes tear up again at the realization that he was right. "Just because you block them out, doesn't make them go away. Buried is not the same as dead," he grinned, coaxing a smile from Sable even as the tears burned her eyes.

She took a deep breath that brought no relief. "I don't _want_ to feel them, Dwayne. I don't want to remember that wasted time. That life is not a part of me anymore. It was frivolous and weak."

"When you became a teenager, did you hate yourself for once being a little girl who was afraid of the dark and the monsters that you believed were in it?"

Sable laughed. "No, of course not. I just didn't know any better when I was little. I grew out of it." She paused, letting it sink in. "But it's not the same, Dwayne."

"Sure it is, girl. Even the dead can grow. You have to learn everything all over again. Everything happening now is new to you and it's all coming at you at once. You need to understand how to deal with it, not separate yourself from it. That's a fast way to split yourself in two and nothing good comes from that kind of inner duality." Dwayne sighed, trying to find the right way to explain himself. "Just like you can't blame the little girl you used to be, you can't blame the mortal who didn't know she could be stronger, faster, or even better. And you can't blame Domini for what she is, for now, or for decisions she hasn't yet made."

Was that what she had been doing? Had she severed her connection to Domini based on what she assumed her old friend would do? It was true, Domini had not done anything yet and Sable had built it all up in her head that she would go along with David's plans for her. Maybe Sable had been going about things the wrong way; deciding for Domini before she could ever choose. Sable knew how it felt to have someone else determine things for her. And at least Sable had Paul and Dwayne, helping her through things. Domini was alone and Sable had left her that way. If they truly could retain part of who they had once been, then so would Domini. Even after everything she had put the girl through, Domini was still reaching out for Sable; a lifeline to a dead disconnection. Would Domini still choose Sable after she was turned though? Who would she side with in the end?

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Dwayne," she said sadly. "_I'm_ the monster in the dark no one believes in," she whispered. "Not even Marko has any faith in me. Who's to say Domini will think any different? What does that say about me?"

"That you're better off for having been turned," he smiled. "And that you're finally thinking for yourself. _Embrace_ the power you have. Mortals are weaker and they're a means to an end, nothing more. But _your_ former life brought you here and Domini was a part of that. It wasn't wasted and it made you who you are."

She could not disagree more. "_Marko_ made me what I am. I owe him everything for what he's given me."

He nodded. "To an extent, yes. But you owe yourself the courtesy of figuring out who that is going to be. You know _what_ you are but I don't think you have any idea _who_ you are, Sable. That's where this struggle inside you comes from." Dwayne held her hand, turning toward her and gathering his courage. "I've seen it before - and I know how this ends, darlin'. If you don't grab hold of some part of who you used to be, some sort of self worth, you'll burn out until you're nothing but ash."

His deep voice resonated through her with a hypnotic draw. Sable could see the tiny creases at his eyes swell. It was so subtle that no human would ever detect such a hint. She found the secret burrowing inside him and, with a gentle squeeze of her hand, Sable offered Dwayne a safe place to set it free.

Her voice presented softly, the way secrets were meant to be shared. "Who _was_ she, Dwayne?"

Sable was far more perceptive than anyone had given her credit for. Dwayne hated the sound of his voice as he tried to say her name. He had no right to speak it anymore. He would though, for Sable, because it would serve a purpose. Dwayne tried again, forcing himself to follow through.

"Her name - was Tara," he sighed. Her name felt like poison on his tongue, stinging his lips. If Dwayne's heart still beat, it would have broken.

She watched him struggle and filled in the words so Dwayne would not have to. "And you loved her," she nodded.

He smiled sadly, "More than life itself, when that still meant something." His lips surrendered to their forming frown. "I loved her more than anything dead has any right to." Dwayne closed his eyes, seeing her there as his brow pinched and his eyes shot open to rid himself of the painful view he would never escape. "She was pure fire, even while I was ice. She was my touchstone, the place I would go when everything was wrong and I needed to remember who I was, before."

Sable ached alongside him. His pain radiated right through her. "Did she know what you were when you met?" she asked softly.

"Not at first," he shook his head, accepting the pain of remembering as the punishment he deserved. "We carried on for a long time like you and Marko; a lot of long nights interrupted by shortened days. I weaned her off of the sun and soon she was living on my schedule." Dwayne turned to Sable, wanting to be very clear. "I never consciously knew I was preparing her to turn. I just wanted to spend all of my time with her. She was human but...she was the purest magic nature ever knew."

He turned away from Sable again, letting his shame back in. "We had such similar backgrounds, heritage, and a belief system when it came to family. When I..." Dwayne trailed off. "When my family was gone," he started again, "I started over with a new one. The boys are my true family and they have always let me be exactly who I am. They're the family I chose for myself. And years later, when I met her, I wanted her to be a part of that. I couldn't bare the thought of her growing old and dying and I truly thought I could offer her something better." Dwayne shook his head, disgusted with his own naivety and pride. "I thought that _I_ was worth more than her life."

She felt the pang in Dwayne's regret. "You turned her," she whispered.

"No," his deep voice murmured. "My Sire offered her to me. And I selfishly accepted on her behalf."

"David turned her," she nodded.

He forced himself to look at her, realizing Marko had not only taught her nothing, but explained nothing either. It may have been for a good reason though. Sable was still feral and fighting back. To risk Max's exposure was to endanger them all. "David didn't sire me, or any of us," he revealed, stopping there. "And Marko needs to be the one to tell you who did."

"Why can't you tell me?" Sable asked.

He smiled gently. "Because he's _our_ secret to keep. And until you know who _you_ are, and you accept it, it isn't safe for you to know who _he_ is."

Sable nodded and followed his eyes as they returned to the cliff by the ocean, hiding their cave from the world it did not belong to. Dwayne's gaze was far away and yet fixated at the same time. "Is that where she was turned?"

"No," he whispered. "It was the last place I saw her."

She did not want to push but Dwayne had brought her that far already. It seemed to be a cathartic release Dwayne needed to finish. "What happened there?"

Dwayne's eyes closed, burying himself in those old memories. "She didn't take well to the turn. She never wanted it. She hated what she was and she despised me for luring her to her own damnation. I thought that over time she would change, somehow understand; forgive me. I thought she'd come around, but she only hated herself for what she had become. She fought it for days." He glanced Sable's way, never fully focusing on her. "You _know_ how hard the hunger is to resist." Dwayne barely saw Sable nod. "Imagine how much she hated being what we are; how deep her pain was that the hunger did not even hurt her as much as that self-loathing did."

"I can't," Sable whispered, taking his hand and helping him through it in the only way she knew how.

"Neither could I," he sighed. "I watched her starve for almost a week. It was unbearable for her to go through but it was just as hard for me to watch." Dwayne's voice became softer until even Sable's unnatural senses had to strain to hear him. "When she finally fed, it was not to survive. It was so she could..." He stopped and Dwayne appreciated that Sable remained silent, giving him the time to find the will to continue.

Dwayne's deep voice rang hollow. "It was still so early when I woke up to the screaming."

"Tara?" she said, watching him wince at the name.

"No," he whispered, "Our Sire's." Dwayne closed his eyes, still hearing the echo of Max's voice waking him from the death sleep. That frantic voice from far away had shaken Dwayne so hard it might as well have been Max's physical hands. The pull of his Sire's voice had called with so much desperation that Dwayne had woken up already in the race of his run.

"I tore through the cave faster than I'd ever moved, scraping my arms on the rock walls as they bled and stung against the wind of my rush." Dwayne opened his eyes to the far away beach by the cave that he could barely see from above the Ferris Wheel, yet could remember so clearly as if it was happening all over again.

"By the time my feet hit the sand just outside the tunnel, it was already beginning to warm from the first rays of sunlight. I saw her out there, sitting deep down in a hole she had dug herself; a grave with human dignity by the ocean where the light coming up over the horizon could not reach...and neither could I. Maybe I could have though. I tell myself there wasn't time, but the truth is, there was. There was only maybe a minute, but it was a single minute long enough to risk it and save her. My feet were already in the sand. For that moment we were on the same ground. All I had to do was move, and I did." He choked a little, shaking off the pain because it was his curse to endure it. "I moved backward into the shadows," he shivered, narrowing his eyes over the distance he never crossed.

Sable could not let Dwayne torture himself any further. "You didn't do it to let her die," she said, knowing it was the truth. "You did it because it was what she wanted and it was the only thing you could do to respect her wish."

Dwayne lifted his heavy eyes toward the sky. "No," he sighed. "I know you want to believe that because you hold some sort of resistance to what we truly are...but that _does_ not make it true." He turned to her with contempt in his eyes. "I didn't save her because I did not want to die with her."

She was stunned into silence and Dwayne made no attempt to fill it. She finally found her voice, shaky as it was. "But you loved her," she whispered.

"I still _do_," Dwayne nodded. "I loved her enough to stand there in the shadow of the tunnel so she wouldn't be alone when she died. I stood there and watched the sun's bright fingers reach into her grave and grab hold of her with the last light she would ever see," he teared up, raging into a seething fury. "I was there with her when she ignited in that fire pit and burned into nothing but ash that carried on the wind until she was everywhere and nowhere all at the same damn time! And I am _still_ fucking here, remembering her!"

Sable shrunk back in the seat, wishing she could reach out to Dwayne but too afraid to touch someone so furiously fragile. She waited in silence for the longest time until Dwayne's body sunk down over his bones, tired and defeated.

"Why?" Sable hated to ask but she needed to know. "Why didn't you save her?"

For some time longer, Dwayne still did not answer. He was still pushing the memories away, back down inside him where they festered without attention. His voice came softly and broke the quiet with discomfort. "I wanted more than she did. I believed I was worth more." He shook his head, trying to help Sable understand.

"I was so unsure of who I was when I turned; what it all meant for me. I turned inward for the answers, as I was raised to do. But when you look inward, soulless, it turns you inside out," he frowned. "A part of us will always be more selfish than anything ever created," Dwayne admitted. "I asked myself why a million times and I spent a lot of time alone, trying to understand it."

With Tara out of his mind again, Dwayne could focus on Sable. He knew she was wondering if Marko would watch her burn or risk his immortality to save her. The truth was, maybe he would. Dwayne could only speak for himself and who he had learned he was in that moment.

"The best I can come up with is a simple answer – we're damned. At the time, I no longer saw any hope for our souls to be redeemed. It took me a long time to understand how being here with each other is how we get through it. But it doesn't change what we are."

"What are we?" Sable whispered.

Dwayne looked back at Sable's fresh eyes, not willing to lie to her. "We are soulless. We are each, truly and utterly alone. No one can save us, not even each other." Dwayne took Sable's hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "It is our duty, and our burden, to look out for what is left of ourselves...because no one else can." He looked into her teary eyes. "And that is why you need to know who you are – and believe you are worth it. It is the only way you will ever survive. They can't tell you to do it, Sable. It's the one thing they can't _make_ you do. You have to do it for yourself because you will always have the option available to you to give up and _truly_ be nothing. You have to want to survive – because you **are** worth your place in this pack. You are _entitled_ to your own space in this world because you traded your _soul_ for it. The question is...who are you going to be?"

**_I hope this chapter answered some questions for you. I think it could only have been Dwayne who turned things around for Sable. I hope you're looking forward to what's to come because, although this chapter took some walls down, there are still obstacles to overcome! I'll try to write more as soon as I can so you won't have to wait so long in between again. Thank you for your messages and reviews! You made me want to return to the page faster! Thank you all so very much! Cheers, Harley_**


	23. Chapter 23

**~ Chapter 23 ~**

**_Thank you all so much! CK, I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter. It's one of those exposition chapters that feels almost slow to write, but is so necessary to the storyline to move the characters along. I never know how that will be received so it thrilled me to see your review pop up. You're absolutely right and David will not hold back long at all. It's not in his nature. I'm stoked that you were surprised by Dwayne's explanation of Tara. It's been on my mind since the very beginning when he said that David had no idea what he was asking of the girls. As for if or how Domini will turn, I can't give any spoilers away. But I love that you're thinking ahead with curiosity! Max is certainly lurking close by and he's got big plans up his suited sleeves. Thank you for always digging into this story and taking a bite out of it! Guest, you're in for a treat then because Paul is definitely all in for this chapter! I hope you enjoy it! PhysoticOnna, welcome and thank you so very much! Thank you all so much! Xo Harley_**

**_I've made an account with Archive of Our Own and have started posting from the beginning over there, just in case. It'll be a long while before all the chapters are up though, but I hope you'll find it!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU!_**

When Sable returned to the cave, she left Dwayne outside to talk with David. She knew he would not betray their confidence by telling him everything they had spoken about. She relied on Dwayne, just as he trusted her. Sable took Paul's hand and led him upstairs past Marko's slack jaw.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

Sable cast a sly smile over her shoulder. "Wherever I damn well please." She watched Marko's face pinch from the sting. "And Paul's coming with me. You can follow if you want," Sable grinned. "You can carry the rope."

He frowned as Paul laughed, left with no choice but to untangle the rope that hung like brown tinsel on the dead brambles of the corner in the lobby. He hated following behind them up the stairs but Marko was not going to be left behind. He stopped as they passed through the doorway to the first bedroom; any plan Marko had of making things up to Sable, disappearing with them.

Sable rested her body on the bed and stretched her arms and legs out in the shape of an X. She closed her eyes with a deep breath that offered no relief. "Alright," she nodded, gripping the bars of the headboard. "Bind me."

Marko smiled, realizing she had not taken them upstairs for any other reason but to get the experiment over with. Dwayne had told her about the plan they had no choice but to execute.

Sable was as anxious to know her limits as the boys were. She hated the loss of control she felt when she sunk down into herself and her mind jumbled her thoughts. It was the most helpless feeling and Sable was through with being weak. Once she knew how long she could go without feeding, and her sanity started to struggle, they would let her drink. Then, she would drink again and again until they found the opposite boundary that made her mind misfire. Sable would know herself better then and when she came down from the high of overfeeding, she would never allow herself to feel either side of those limits again. She would be whole between them.

Marko tightened the ropes that bound her wrists and ankles to all four corners of the bedposts. He remembered the last time she was bound, a Halfling with desperate hunger for her turning.

He brushed her fiery bangs to the side and placed his lips against Sable's forehead. Marko could not apologize for what he knew was necessary for Sable's well being, and all of their own good. He offered her what he could instead. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"I know," Sable said softly, looking into the eyes of her Maker and finding their connection still there. Whatever Paul had said to him on the beach after she left had brought him back to her and she was grateful to her friend for it. "Take a seat over there," she nodded to Marko, eyeing the cushy chair across the room. "You'll stay the whole time, right?"

He nodded, dragging the plush chair toward the bedside and kicking his feet up onto the mattress. "You go through it, I go through it," Marko nodded. "At least you'll sleep through the first twelve hours or so. The sun will be up in a couple hours now. "It won't be long after that, you'll just drift off. The hunger will build from there. After you wake, we'll just need to watch the moon to see how long it takes."

She nodded, feeling nervous. "Paul?"

"Yeah girl," he smiled, jumping and landing on the bed beside her where he laid with his head on the crook of her bound arm.

Sable was relieved to see him unphased by everything she had put him through. Paul's playful demeanor was so resilient. "I'm sorry," she said softly. When he looked confused, Sable added, "If I scared you?"

He shook his head with a grin. "Done and gone, girl. We're right as rain." He lay beside her, staring up at the ceiling with Sable. "Besides, it wasn't _all_ bad," he grinned, rolling onto his side and tracing his finger over her lips. "We had some fun too, right?"

Marko uncrossed his ankles on the side of the bed long enough to kick it. "There was fun?" He frowned. "What kind of fun?"

Sable smiled, knowing they had not done anything wrong. "The kind you made very clear I'm here to fulfill."

"I never actually _got_ my fill," Paul grinned. "I hate to fall asleep unsatisfied." He traced his fingertip in a circle over Sable's shirt as her nipple slowly rose with arousal, reaching for his touch.

Shifting uncomfortably, Marko shook his head. "That's not how this works."

With a coy smile, she turned her head to face him. "It worked just fine without your approval."

"I'm your Sire. _My_ blood, _my_ rules," he warned her.

She shrugged her shoulder as much as her restraint would allow. "Possession is nine tenths of the law, _Sire_. It's my blood now," she smirked. "_My_ blood, _my_ body. Eternity is an awfully long time to go with an angry girl by your side," she reminded him.

Marko rolled his eyes at her newfound security she had so recently discovered. "Dwayne's a fuckin dead man."

"Already dead, dude," Paul snickered.

Sable smiled, eager to have some fun with Paul when it was on her own terms. It might even do Marko some good to sit back and see what it was like when he was not involved in the act he had bred her for. "Your move, Paul," she smiled. "I'm a little tied up at the moment."

He laughed and nodded, turning past his shoulder to make sure Marko was not going to get angry. What he and Sable did off on their own was one thing. To take her right in front of him might be another. He raised an intrigued brow with an excited proposal for permission.

Marko was glad at least one of them still cared what he thought. He had to admire her willful spirit. He nodded toward her, "Go on then." Marko leaned forward. "But just you remember, girl – anything he does to you is gonna be foreplay compared to when I have _my_ way with you."

She smiled his way. "If I'm not too worn out, we'll see if there's time before the sun comes up." Sable winked at him and found the soft, half-laugh she had come to love from Marko.

"Tease," he smirked.

"Tyrant," she grinned.

Paul searched his mind for a 'T' word he could use to play along. He shrugged, "Tits," and cupped her breasts with both hands as his tongue parted her supple lips.

His wild kiss dominated her mouth, tasting her as he kneaded her ample breasts. He covered her with his body, rocking his hips slowly against her as he ground into Sable. Paul slipped his hand beneath the hem of her t-shirt, sliding over her cool skin and tracing the soft curve of her breast. He kept her hidden from his view, his hand moving beneath her shirt as he explored her for as long as he could stand it.

"You know this has gotta go, right?" Paul asked, tugging at her shirt. When she nodded with that hungry look in her eyes, he started to lift the fabric. Paul looked at the ropes that barred her wrists. "I'll get ya a new one," he promised, grabbing both sides of the shirt and tearing it in half to splay the sides out of his way. His tongue wrapped around her nipple with soft bites, approved by her rising hips. "They gotta go too, girl," he laughed, his hand rubbing the denim seam against her heat. "You okay with that?"

She bit her lip gently with a smile. "Shred em."

"Oh yeah," Paul laughed, tearing them apart and tossing the pieces to the floor.

Marko sat back in his chair, watching Sable's face and the soft flush he knew so well. It would be a lie to say he was not a little jealous, but Sable was in good company. She was not about to fuck some random stranger. She was his, she was theirs; she was perfectly wicked in all the right ways.

Paul covered her body with his, snaking his tongue across hers and biting at her lower lip. He wished her arms were not bound so that Sable could rake her nails over his back; wrap her legs around his waist and hold on. As he slid down her body, glad she had not bothered with panties after her show, Paul found an appreciation for the spread position Sable was bound to.

He pressed his thumbs to the swelling flesh between her thighs, parting her to reveal the sweetness that begged to be tasted. Paul lowered his smile, breathing in Sable's scent and got hard in an instant. He tugged at his white jeans, kicking them off the end of the bed, knowing that once he tasted the bound girl beneath him, he would not have the will to bother with restraints of his own.

Sliding his finger down her crease, Paul held Sable's hip steady. She was so wet and his tongue collected her dew like the sweet bead of honeysuckle at the center of the petals. Paul moaned as her hips twisted over the mattress. He snaked his tongue inside her, flicking against those tight velvety walls that kissed him back.

He had to rest his cheek against her thigh, his mouth in a moan as he took a moment to steady himself, intoxicated by her taste. He had never gone down on a turned girl before and, while the similarities to any human girl were arousing, the subtle musk of the vampire she had become was like nothing Paul had ever had the pleasure of knowing.

"Fuckin hell, girl," he grinned, his lower lip dragging along her trembling thigh. Paul watched Sable bite her lip harder, aching for the return of his touch. "More?" he smirked, positioning his fingertip just above her throbbing clit.

Sable thrust her hips up into his touch, shaking harder as the tiny bundle of nerves craved his attention. "Uh!" she moaned. "Paul, please," she begged.

He snickered, rubbing her so slowly it drove them both mad. The longer he took, the more she wanted and Paul appeased them both, slipping his finger inside her and twisting in and out.

Marko licked his lips, his hand straying down over his jeans. Sable had never looked more beautiful, writhing with need across from him and showing off a new perspective he could enjoy her from. She was so hot and he was glad Sable was making him work for it. Marko would bide his time. The way she eye-fucked him while Paul touched her promised him she still wanted him there. Even bound across that bed with Paul teasing inside her, Sable was bound to Marko and they all knew it.

He chewed at the corner of his grin with anticipation. "Take her," Marko breathed softly, both an order and a request at the same time.

Crawling slowly up Sable's body, Paul slid his cock over her as he positioned himself against her glistening slit. He grabbed hold of her bound wrists, moving higher to lock their fingers together as he looked down into her eyes. She wanted it as much as he did. Paul suckled her lower lip between his teeth, releasing her as Sable raised her head off the pillow to claim his kiss. His lips crashed over hers, pushing her head back down to the pillow with his kiss and licking her taste from his tongue to hers.

Paul thrust deep inside her as they moaned into one another's mouths. He had to take a moment to settle himself as Sable's body gripped him in a way her bound hands could not. He moved slowly at first, afraid of hurting her. It did not take him long to remember that Sable's new body could take his full force. He did not hold back again.

Downstairs, through the back tunnel, Domini waited for David in the water where he had left her. The small cove had filled during high tide as the ocean spilled over the lip of the rocks, pouring into the inlet like a separate well. The waves had abandoned it when the tide receded but left the pool in its wake. Although the moon reflected over it then, it still held the sun's memory in its warmth.

Domini bathed in the natural cove behind the cliff's rocky walls, washing away the dirty feeling the club had left her with. No matter how much she scrubbed, the feeling would not go away. She wondered if Sable felt the same way, though she did not seem to.

She slipped deeper into the water, letting it rise to her chin as her muscles relaxed. It was like soaking in a hot tub and she was grateful for the time alone. She had come a long way from those cold beach showers, yet Domini still longed for that little apartment she and Sable would have together, and the real tub it would come with. So much had changed since they had come to Santa Carla, and not all of those changes had been good.

The warm water could not relieve the tension in Domini's muscles. She needed to talk to David but a part of her was glad when he had run off, leaving her there alone. She could not get his smirk out of her head as he had watched Sable while touching her. Every day Domini had more questions and less plausible answers. Nothing made sense anymore and there seemed nowhere left for Domini to turn.

Her mind wandered to Sable no matter how much she tried to believe that they were on good terms again. Sable was so different lately but Domini could not put her finger on why. It stood to reason that Marko had gotten his hooks into her and manipulated her in the way that abusive men were masterful at. It was the only explanation that made any sense. He had to be controlling her. Sable was not naïve though and Domini wanted to think that she would know better. That was how sociopaths worked though; a girl never saw it coming, no matter how smart she was.

She thought back to simpler times when they had met and instantly bonded as the best of friends. She and Sable were never farther than a whisper from each other. They were so alike in many ways and, in their differences, they added balance to one another. They snuck out at night just to sit on the roof and look at the stars, wondering how the sky would look when they were older and far away from that place. They had taken a blood oath, pricking their thumbs, entwining their hands and pressing them together. They made a pact to be connected forever. They were inseparable, like sisters really. The mischievous partners in crime had played pranks on the nuns, tossing red socks into the wash and dying their Habits pink. If one girl got in trouble, they were both blamed because everyone knew that Domini and Sable did everything together. She had never imagined their bond could ever be broken.

Sable's highs and lows were driving Domini crazy. She never knew what to expect from her. Half the time she felt like her friend was plotting against her. Domini could not shake the memory of Sable taking the cigarette from David's lips the night before. That smile had been so hateful toward Domini but satisfying for Sable. The knots inside Domini tightened as she cupped the water over her shoulder. There had been a time, not long ago, when Domini had known Sable like the back of her hand.

That last thought echoed in Domini's head over and over, nagging at her relentlessly.

_The back of your hand_...

_The back of your hand_...

Domini stared down at her arm, tracing over the rising goosebumps as the tiny wet hairs began to stand on end. Chills ran along her spine and the water could no longer warm her in the wake of her looming realization.

She closed her eyes and pictured Sable dancing on the stage. Domini had looked away for half of the girl's performance; the other half had only been out of the corner of her eye. When Sable had first turned around on the stage though, Domini had gotten a full view that would forever be etched into her memory. Sable had been completely bare for everyone to see. There had not been a stitch of clothing on her.

_Not even a bandage_.

Domini jumped out of the water, fumbling with her clothes as she tugged them over her wet body. She tried to run through the back tunnel but David had led her there through the dark. He had probably done it a thousand times and knew his way, even without any light. Domini could only feel her way along the wall, stumbling over the uneven ground. Even in the pitch blackness, Domini could see Sable's image, her pristine skin under the spotlight.

"I don't understand," she cried out loud, needing to hear her own voice so she would not feel so isolated and alone. Domini tripped over a rock in the dark and hit the ground hard, the sharp stab of a pointed jut of rock piercing her knee. She gripped her leg as the stale air of the tunnel stung her skin. Domini could feel the sticky wet blood run in a trickle down her leg. "**David**!" she screamed, her echo bouncing off the walls and mocking her. _David, David, David, David..._

She forced herself to move, feeling her way up the side of the wall and propelling herself blindly through the darkness as quickly as she could.

Domini did not know what her newfound revelation meant but she was sure that something was terribly wrong. Had Sable faked the injury she blamed Domini for? If so, how could she have pulled it off? Domini had seen the blistering skin on her friend's arm after the loose coil of wires had sparked against her skin. Even if Sable had somehow managed to trick Domini, why would she? It did not make any sense but she was convinced that something was going on and Domini needed to find out what it was.

A dim veil touched the rocks ahead, a literal light at the end of the tunnel. Domini ran toward it with hopeful relief, the darkness behind her as she thrust herself into the lobby's dim light. Domini looked around at the empty cave, crackling fire in metal cans breaking the silence of the room. Where had David run off to so fast? Why had they all left her alone?

Unintelligible sounds from upstairs found their way to Domini's ears as she turned toward the staircase. Each step was guided with silent precision as she crept up the stairs toward the first floor hallway. The hard breaths and grunting moans were coming from the room Domini had shared with David. She closed her eyes, praying that he was not in that room. Flashes of Sable taking David's cigarette from his lips haunted her as her stealthy feet tip-toed closer to the closed door. She knew David's sounds by heart and what she heard then lacked the gravelly voice infused in him.

Crouching down, Domini closed one eye and peeked through the old keyhole. She could see Paul's blonde mane as he threw his head back, leaning up over the girl his body blocked from her view. He was panting so hard, emitting the most animalistic grunts as he gave some girl the ride of her life. Domini was ready to turn away when she saw the ropes tied around the bedposts. She blinked her eyes a few times to clear her vision in the dark, making sure she had seen what she thought. Two hands were stretched out toward them and Domini could see them struggle against the restraints.

She covered her mouth, grateful she had done it at that exact moment because soon after, Domini saw movement to the right of the bed. She had to strain to see off to the side through the keyhole but Marko's clothes were a dead giveaway, even when she could not see his face. When he spoke, there was no doubt who was watching.

"You like that, baby?" Marko cooed, leaning forward to catch Sable's eye as her head thrashed, unable to voice even her moans without effort because breathing no longer came naturally.

_No, no, no, no, no! _Domini's mind was screaming louder than she could think.

She closed her eyes and begged it not to be true. She wanted to believe that Marko was cheating on Sable with some random, slutty, Santa Carla townie or a kinky vacationing coed. If it was really Sable beneath Paul, then Marko had tied her up against her will so that Paul could attack her.

Her mind flashed through the only logical possibilities: After watching Sable dance, they had lost control, taking by force what she would never share with both of them; or worse, the girls had been lured there for this exact purpose and it had always been Marko's plan to have them both.

She wished David would come back from wherever he had run off to. He would never allow anyone to hurt them, not even his brothers.

What could Domini do, burst through the door to try to help her, two against one? She instantly regretted ever doubting her old friend, the sister she should have known better than to doubt. How could Domini fight them both off by herself though? When she heard Sable's voice, Domini clamped her hand over her mouth harder, stifling the scream that wanted to break free like those bound hands she could not take her eyes off.

"Yes, uh!" Sable moaned, wishing she could rip through her restraints as easily as Paul had torn through her clothes. Her strength faded so quickly and, as Paul ravaged her body, she was grateful he was doing most of the work. "Uh! Uh! Harder!" she begged, bucking her hips up into his.

Domini's closed eye shot open, distorting her view through the keyhole. She could not bear to see any more as she tore through the hallway toward the stairs. Slipping down a few steps, Domini fell to a halt as she heard voices in the lobby.

David grabbed his leather gloves off the trunk by the couch. He had run out so fast earlier that he had forgotten them. "I'm gonna head out and grab a quick bite before I turn in with Dom. I hate to keep her waiting but I'm starving," he groaned.

"Yeah man," Dwayne nodded, glad he had appeased David's interest in what he and Sable had talked about. He did not tell him the half of it, but he reassured him that she was going to be alright. "I'll see ya tomorrow." The only thing Dwayne wanted was the dreamless death sleep that would release him from Tara's memory.

Crawling up the stairs, Domini hid in the first room on the right, hating that she could not escape the muffled sound behind two closed doors. She waited for the longest time, never hearing Dwayne pass through the hallway. She wished he had, so he would hear what was going on and put a stop to it. But maybe he would not. Domini no longer knew who she could trust. Wasn't that why she had not called out to them when she heard them downstairs? Domini hated not knowing if David was aware of what was going on. She had to believe he was in the dark as much as she was. Domini wished he was there in the dark room with her then.

There was a knot in the pit of Domini's stomach and she felt like the room's walls were caving in on her. She ignored the persistent throb in her bleeding knee, knowing it would have to be strong enough to help her run. She crept past the closed door in the hallway, sneaking down the stairs to the empty lobby. Wherever Dwayne had gone, he was not there then.

Darting through the front tunnel, Domini found herself on the beach, grateful for the abundance of air and moonlight to guide her way. She ran for over a mile before her feet began to drag through the sand. Domini slowed, catching her breath. She kept to a steady pace as her mind continued to race.

Domini did not know what to do with the information she had stumbled upon and it still did not make any sense. The only thing she knew for sure was that she did not want to be at the cave when Sable came out of that room; not until she could understand what was happening.

By the time Domini reached the Boardwalk, she was exhausted. The first glow of morning peeked its promise to the horizon, not yet casting any real light from behind the clouds. She must have walked five miles and her tired legs felt it. It had always seemed such a short ride on David's motorcycle but that moment, she felt the solitude of having to go it alone.

A few joggers panted their way down the Boardwalk, outrunning the impending morning crowds. The tandem bike rentals were placed at storefronts, lined up in their neat rows. Food carts prepped their inventory to fill prepackaged bags so they could entice customers by the time they flooded the Boardwalk with their empty, growling stomachs. There was such simplicity to the Boardwalk's routine that Domini had not appreciated, having lived on its parallel schedule. The Boardwalk was very different at night but standing there in the last of the darkness, she envied the boring normalcy of it all.

Max's shop was closed, as Domini thought it would be. She had known it would be pointless to go there but it was the only place she knew to run to. A motion inside caught her attention as Domini rushed the door, finding it locked. She peered inside at the new glass case that centered the room, ready to be filled. The cash register sat open next to its box and there were rolls of posters leaned against every freshly-painted wall. Domini was sure she had seen someone inside.

"Max?" she called out as the sun rose slowly, casting a glare against the glass door. Domini beat her balled fist against it, praying he would answer. "Max!" she shouted, bending her hand over her eyes to see inside. The increasing light behind her obstructed her view, even as it began to fill the store. When the door opened, she rushed inside and fell to the floor, her exhausted legs giving way beneath her. "Max, I'm so glad you're here."

"Um, no, _Evan_," he smiled. "We've met before," he teased. Evan closed the door with a laugh and locked it. "What are you doing here?"

She looked up at him, relieved to see someone, anyone she knew and could trust. "Oh my God, Evan," she sighed. "I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life."

He looked over the bloodied scab on her knee and the trail of blood that had dried down her leg. "Are you okay?" He grabbed a water bottle off the counter and a clean rag. Evan knelt down beside her and dabbed at the dirty wound. "What'd you do, crawl through a coal mine?"

Domini looked down at her blackened knees, seeing them in the light for the first time since she had fallen in the tunnel. "Something like that," she groaned.

"What happened Domini?" he asked with concern.

She did not have a clue where to even begin. There was so much that Domini did not understand herself. How could she explain it to him? Domini took a deep breath and started at the beginning. She told him everything, without explicit detail, about coming to Santa Carla and meeting David and the boys. She explained Sable's moody changes and her confirmed fear that Marko was somehow behind it all. Domini knew she must sound like a raving lunatic spouting conspiracy theories but she did not care. She needed to get it out of her and have someone outside of the group tell her she was not losing her mind.

Evan listened, without interruption, until Domini finally took a breath that marked the end of her whirlwind. "I don't think you're crazy," he tried to smile. "A little confused probably," Evan reasoned, "but you're a far cry from insane." He took her hand gently. "You think you're up to taking a walk, getting some air?"

She nodded as he helped her to her feet. Almost an hour had gone by since she had left the cave. Domini could not tell how long she had been spilling her knotted guts, but the sun was fully starting to rise. She knew that David would come looking for her. He might even be on his way. She was not yet ready to believe that David was aware of what Marko and Paul were doing with Sable. She longed for the safe warmth of the sun and it would make her easier to find if David came looking. Domini had been in the dark too long. A walk would be good and her legs did not hurt anymore, with the exception of her knee. Her chest ached though, but she knew it was not from all the running.

In the room on the first floor of the old hotel, Marko watched his insatiable fledgling with pride. Her stamina was unwavering. Even as the death sleep called, they were barely slowing down. Marko had to admit that sitting on the sidelines with David, even with his naked girl moaning beside them, it had become a little boring for him with nothing to do but watch.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Domini?" he asked as David lit a smoke. "Your little peach will be a prune," he grinned.

He shook his head. "She ain't goin' anywhere. Domini will stay right where I left her until I come back. Obedience is a virtue," David grinned.

Marko laughed. "No it's not. It's a vice. Patience, that's a virtue," he nodded. "Strength, that's another good one."

"A vice is something wicked," David disagreed. "Obedience isn't wicked. It's docile."

He countered, "Yeah, but when you use her obedience for your own good, it becomes a vice."

David considered that for a moment and nodded with a sinful grin. "Call it what you want, the girl knows how to follow orders and I told her to stay put until I came back."

Paul huffed, lowering his head and stilling his hips. "Would the peanut gallery kindly shut the fuck up? My cock feels like it's in a _vice_ with all that yapping. I can't concentrate," he frowned.

"Since when do you need to concentrate to fuck?" David laughed.

He grimaced, staring down at the smiling girl beneath him who had no complaints. He turned back to them with a sideways glance. "C'mon man. You know I can't do two things at once. I'm lucky I can twist her nipple and keep my rhythm at the same time."

The boys snickered softly, nodding and trying to get serious. Marko cleared his throat. "Sorry man. Please, continue. Sable doesn't deserve to be left unsatisfied," he smiled at her.

David stifled a yawn, waving his hand to carry on. "I think I _will_ go collect Domini and give into sleep. I doubt they'll last much longer with the sun rising anyway." He placed his hand at the door and turned back around. "Since this room is obviously taken, we're gonna crash out in the lobby. Make damn sure she can't hear a sound from up here," he warned.

He was halfway down the tunnel when the scent of Domini's blood on the ground awakened all of his senses into overdrive. David ran to the natural cove finding Domini nowhere in sight. The scent of her blood floored him. David turned in circles, trying to discern why she was bleeding, why she had not waited for him and where she had gone. He flew back through the tunnel, his feet never touching the ground.

"**Domini**!" David roared, his voice shaking the tunnel walls and echoing through the empty space he was alone in. _Domini, Domini, Domini, Domini..._

**_Well things are certainly heating up and Domini is FINALLY catching on that "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K"! She's going to have to Nancy Drew this shit out but, as much as she's discovering, there is so much more to it than her mortal mind can even begin to fathom. There are not many more chapters left to this story but I will do my very best to keep you on the edge of your seat for every one of them. There will be a climactic ending but no worries, we're not there yet. Hopefully I can finish out here and bring this story to a close where it originated. In the meantime, I hope this chapter will satiate your thirst for this story. Thank you all so very, very much! Please let me know what's on your mind! Cheers, Harley_**

**_Don't forget to check out this story on AO3 in case this story doesn't make it to the end here! THANK YOU!_**


	24. Chapter 24

**~ Chapter 24 ~**

**_Thank you all very much! I know that I'm sorry that I haven't been posting twice a week like I used to. I've been trying to find the time to write but it's been really hard lately; a lot going on. I hope you're still interested in this story though! Thank you, CK, I have the answers you're looking for in this next chapter! Although, it will all bleed over into the next chapter as well. I'm glad you like Evan but I completely understand why you want things to move along. Domini's time is definitely running out and things will come to a header incredibly soon! This story is going to take a major turn in a few chapters and I think you'll really like where it goes. Thank you all so very much for bearing with me! I hope you're still out there!_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENSUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU_**!

It was refreshing for Domini to walk along the Boardwalk under the warmth of the sun's early rays. It had been so long since she had glimpsed the sun it was like coming home to the embrace of an old friend. Most of the shops were not open yet and the colorful rides at the end of the Boardwalk sat tall and quiet, like beautiful sculptures in a gated art gallery.

Evan continued to listen with the patience of a saint while Domini tried to work through everything. Once she had voiced the whole story out loud, Domini was afraid it sounded as bad as it was. The whole time he listened though, Evan did not seem to judge her for any of it; not for the company she kept, the choices she had made, or even the inexplicable draw that kept her going back for more.

After a while, Domini realized it had been quiet because she was only trying to piece things together in her own mind and had stopped talking. Her thoughts were so loud they made her head hurt.

She turned to Evan with an embarrassed smile. "You're quiet. You must think I'm a nut job, huh?"

He grinned back, his hands in his pockets as Evan's elbow gave her a playful push. "Nah, just giving you some room to vent it all out. It's a lot to take in. If anything, I feel bad you've been carrying all of this around inside you for so long. I think it's really good you got it all out."

With a deep, relieving breath, Domini smiled. "It did feel pretty good. I still don't know what any of it means though. What's on your mind?"

"You really wanna know what I think?" Evan asked.

She nodded. "Of course. Why else would I tell you everything?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. We don't really know each other that well, even still. Sometimes people talk so they can hear it all out loud and realize things just by talking themselves through it. I mean, this is _your_ life, Domini. I don't wanna put my two cents in if you're not looking for change."

Those words were worth a million dollars to her in that moment. "Maybe I _need_ to make some changes."

"Alright," he sighed, preparing them both. "But ya might not like everything I have to say."

Domini was pretty sure that whatever it was, it had to be better than the choices she had been making for herself. She felt like she had been sticking her head in the sand and was finally coming up for air. Everything looked different in the morning and it cast a new light on the world she had been living. Domini was not sure she had ever even been awake at the cave during the day. It was as if the sun had no place in that world; no right to intrude on the party that never stopped, exposing it for what it really was. It was the walk of shame; the morning after when the excitement of the moment had long since passed.

"I want to hear what you really think," she admitted, preparing herself for whatever it was and might mean.

Evan's hands fidgeted in his pockets but he looked straight ahead, his head held high with confidence. "I don't think you're crazy," he smiled as she chuckled with relief. "A little paranoid maybe," Evan chided as her foot crossed behind him with a sideways smack. He laughed, "Of all the people that roam this Boardwalk with ulterior motives, I highly doubt that your friend Sable is one of them. If anything, I think she's probably just wrapped up in the nocturnal lifestyle most people get caught up in around here. This place is a playground for people who don't have anyone telling them what to do. It's easy to get lost here when nobody's looking," he frowned, eyeing the posting board of Missing Posters.

"I'm not so sure there isn't someone telling her what to do though. Marko has some kind of a hold over her. I don't know how," she sighed. "But I swear he's behind all of her moodiness and life-changing decisions. Sable was never like this before she met him. And they're always together. If she's not with Marko, she's with Paul." Domini felt sick to her stomach remembering the last time she saw Sable with Paul. "How could she _do_ that?" she whispered.

Evan shrugged. "I don't know. I'm a one-woman kind of a guy. I couldn't share anybody I really cared about. So either Marko's the most secure man to ever live, or maybe he really is a controlling bastard, pushing her into doing things she doesn't want to do."

The hard part about Domini's theory was that from what she saw, Sable had wanted Paul. She liked being tied down to that bed, her lover on top of her, and her boyfriend calling the shots. Domini shivered from the memory.

Evan shook off his jacket and draped it over Domini's shoulders. "Is that better?"

She grinned with flushed appreciation, slipping her arms through the sleeves. "I wasn't cold."

"I know," he smiled. "But it was a good excuse to see how you'd look in my jacket."

Domini laughed awkwardly, flattered but too overwhelmed to give it much credence. She paused, turning to him. "Wait, did you say you think I'm a little paranoid?"

He laughed. "Caught that, did ya?" Evan nodded, trying to explain. "Look, not in a bad way or anything."

"Riiight," she teased. "You meant the good kind of paranoid."

Evan nodded. "I kinda did, yeah. Healthy paranoia makes ya look deeper at things you might otherwise have overlooked completely. But it doesn't make them suspicious. Take your friend's arm getting burned. It was dark in the store, right? Lights burned out and all?"

She shook her head, sure of that part as an unwavering fact. "Not so dark that I imagined blisters where her skin should have been."

He cocked his head, leaning back against the railing that housed the sleeping Tilt-a-Whirl. "Okay, well maybe she used make-up then." Evan posed the thought and then nodded, seeing the logic in it. "I mean she can't be the first girl to dance at that club with a scar to cover up. I'm sure those girls know a few tricks of the trade, right?"

Domini had not thought about that. "I guess it's possible."

"I just think it makes more sense than your friend trying to trick you into thinking you hurt her. Sure, she's clearly goin' through some heavy shit. No debate about that. But it doesn't mean her motives are sinister," he said gently. "Now, your boyfriend and his so-called 'brothers'," Evan frowned while making condescending air quotes, "well I think maybe you're onto something there."

It was somehow hard for Domini to hear that, even though she had briefly considered it herself when he and Dwayne had come back. "No, David isn't involved in any of this. Whatever is going on with Sable and Marko and, now I guess Paul," she rolled her eyes, "I don't think David knows a thing about it."

"No?" Evan asked, trying to hold back his surprise. "I mean c'mon, Dom," he said with gentle softness in both his tone and face. He did not want to hurt her but he wanted Domini to wake up. "Where is he _now_?"

"What do you mean? He's back at the..." She could hardly prove her point if she told Evan they lived in a cave. It was awkward evidence against her whole case that David was a good guy caught in the middle. "He's at home."

Evan nodded. "Uh-huh. So why didn't you go to _him_ with all of this then? Or better yet," he added softly, "why didn't he come after you when he realized you ran off, and alone at that?"

Domini moved toward the railing by the beach and squinted her eyes against the sun's glare off the sand. The bluff was so far away. Had she really come all that way in the dark? Domini's heart ached, realizing David was not looking for her at all. If Sable had disappeared, she knew for sure there were two men who would go looking for the missing girl.

She turned away from the empty beach, focusing on the flyers stapled in layers over the board. There were hundreds of Missing Posters; wild teenagers, troubled runaways, adults who worked the night shift and never came home. There were a lot of people looking for them. Pain-staking time had been taken to put up fresh posters when the old ones were rained out or covered by fresher faces.

Why couldn't David take five minutes to ride up to the Boardwalk on his bike, across the miles Domini had crossed alone in the dark? Wasn't he afraid for her? Did he even care why she had left?

"What do you think happened to all of these people?" Domini asked softly.

Evan sighed. "Your guess is as good as mine. I think a lot of them probably just ran away. Too many rules, too many broken families...maybe just not enough reasons to stay."

She stared at the face of a man who had last been seen at a bar next to King's Fries. Domini shivered, remembering the night that she and Sable had spent on the rooftop and the scene they had awoken to. He had a kind face and a worried family. If it was the man the police had found, there probably had not been enough of his body left to identify. He had been found by someone but was still missing to another.

"I don't think _grown-ups_ run away from home," she whispered sadly.

He frowned, looking over the man. "You never know. Some men, fathers even, go out for a pack of smokes or a carton of milk, and they just keep driving. They're wrapped up in all the bills stacking up and the college fund they dipped into the month before just to pay em." Evan's face softened. "They're not thinking about the kids left behind, waiting up in the window at home, leaving the porch light on so he can find his way back."

Domini turned to Evan, wondering if they were still talking about the missing man. She could tell by the tragic look on Evan's face that his story of inheriting his father's business may not have been the sweet father and son tale he had first told her. Domini wondered if Evan's dad had a face on one of those posters and, if so, how many layers underneath the others it was. Was that the only way some people were able to bury their loved ones? At what point did a person give up looking? She could not help but think about how awful it must be to have someone you love disappear without a trace or a warning; to never have closure, wondering if they ran off or were run down.

She stared out at the beach again, wondering if David was going through those emotions just then, while she stood on the Boardwalk wearing someone else's jacket. Domini slipped it off and passed it back to Evan with a guilty attempt at a smile.

She stood with him, shoulder to shoulder, staring at the faces that looked back at them. All of those names with glimpses into who they had once been, before they were Boardwalk famous...Jimmy Angelo in his graduation photo, Sarah Covington holding her dog, Madison Montgomery with her heavy metal jewelry, Michael Ott in his security uniform, Tim Bauer and his prized catch from a fishing tournament. There were so many faces smiling back at their frowns, large letters screaming 'MISSING', sad questions asking 'Have You Seen Me?' Just like all of those people, the answers were missing too.

David had lived in Santa Carla long enough to know that people went missing all the time. If he was not out looking for her on the Boardwalk, he could not have cared too much if she was one of them. Domini's heart sunk in her chest.

"Can we go now please?" she asked quietly.

"Your home or mine?" he asked.

Domini considered both options. Her home did not belong to her; it never had. It was David's, and the boys'; even Sable's. She did not feel right about going back to Evan's apartment either. "Can we just go back to Max's shop?" she asked.

"Anywhere you want," Evan nodded. "Breakfast on the way?" he smiled, raising an enticing brow.

"Sure," she laughed. "That actually sounds really good right now." Domini reached into her pocket, making sure the money Max had given her was still there. "But I'm buying," she grinned.

Evan shook his head. "Sorry, doll. My mama might be on the opposite coast right now but she'd kill me if she ever found out I let a pretty girl buy my breakfast. No way," he laughed. "I don't need that kind of hassle."

"How would she ever know?" Domini protested.

He smiled shyly. "_I would_ know." Evan kicked his foot up in a sideways smack to return the gesture. "C'mon, friend. Let's eat."

Domini blushed and walked back down the Boardwalk at his side. It felt good to be with someone who did not yell at her or change from one minute to the next. Evan listened when she talked and there was such an easiness about him. What you saw was what you got. But even as Evan chivalrously held the door open for her and they entered the diner, Domini chose the table by the window. If the Lost Boy came looking for her, she still wanted to be found.

Miles across the sun-soaked beach, the cave was quiet and dark. Sable slept deeply in the divide between Marko and Paul as they nestled against her sides, dead to the world. Fifteen salvageable rooms sat empty, their beds still made, their pillows covered in dust. Downstairs in the lobby, the couches were vacant. Deep in the tunnel, a safe distance from the sunlight, David slept alone where he fell. It was the deep sleep of a man who succumbed to the rules of Fate, but readied himself for the time when it released him back out into the world to bring it to its knees if Domini did not return with him.

The day passed surprisingly fast for Domini because there was still so much work to do. Evan helped to make the work fun as they unpacked the last of the videos and stocked the shelves. They took pride in decorating with the brand new movie posters, plastering them over the walls like a teenager's bedroom. They danced cardboard cutouts across the floor to loud music and arranged the movie memorabilia by genre. Maria joined them in the late afternoon, bringing pizza and fresh energy that offered them a second wind. Domini could hardly believe she had been awake since the previous evening.

By the time Max arrived after sunset, he was more than pleased by all of their hard work. He was so excited that Domini was relieved to see that Max seemed to forget all about the night before and his disappointment in her. It was as if nothing had ever happened. That was one of many differences between the other two men in her life; Max did not hold grudges. He let things go. Max even offered to let Domini catch a catnap in his office. While she had appreciated his offer, Domini was too excited for the grand re-opening. She wanted to share in Max's big night because she had helped him achieve it. She was proud to be a part of that night. It felt good to be proud of anything.

David stirred from the clench of sleep and shot upright, ready to bolt. A voice from the couch behind him stopped him in his tracks.

"Maybe you should let her go," Dwayne's deep but gentle voice resonated through the cave.

He turned around slowly, cocking his head to his shoulder. "What did you just say?"

Dwayne turned to him with a stone-cold expression. "I mean it, man. You and Max want her to choose. Domini left. Maybe she made her choice."

David looked back over his shoulder, aching to run through the tunnel and out into the night. He could not walk away from a poor excuse such as that though. David faced Dwayne, but made no motion toward him, unwilling to surrender a single step against the only way he wanted to go.

A sly smile fixed over his lips. "She can't make a choice until I give her two things to choose between. Death with me, or death alone. There _is_ no Max."

Unfazed, Dwayne just stared at him. "When you force something on a person, there is _always_ another choice."

"Domini's not like _her_," he said sharply. David would offer Dwayne the respect of not saying Tara's name but he would never back down from the fight his brother was instigating. "I want her. She wants me," he explained.

Dwayne cracked a smile. "I didn't hear the word love anywhere in there."

"Why would you?" he scoffed. "This isn't about love. It's about companionship."

"You mean servitude," Dwayne frowned.

David shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"You're right and I never will," he countered. "And I hope you will never understand what it means to be sitting where I am."

He could not imagine himself ever being capable of feeling as much as Dwayne did. David knew how hard it was on his brother and he had watched him carry that pain around with him for so long. "I ain't gonna sit," David grinned. When the smile was not returned, he softened his tone and offered a promise. "I'm gonna bring her home, Dwayne. This is where Domini belongs."

He nodded, hoping his brother was right. "Alright then."

David hated to leave Dwayne alone there in that state. "Why don't you ride in with me, grab a bite?"

He shook his head. "I will in a while. We're watching Sable in shifts. Marko and Paul are going to head up to the Boardwalk to feed in a minute and I'll go up to sit with her until they get back. I'll eat then," he promised.

He locked eyes with Dwayne. His moodiness had gone on too long but David's sincerity was urgent. "Make sure that ya do."

Dwayne tried to smile, appreciating his brother's genuine concern. "Cross my heart and hope to...damn," he grinned. "Too late."

David rolled his eyes with a laugh. "You've been hanging out with Paul too long."

The store was buzzing with new life and Domini was turning herself in circles trying to help all of the customers that surrounded the check-out area. She was grateful that Max had hired on Evan to help out at the store and that his job was not done there. She would have missed him and had grown very fond of Evan. He was a good guy and he was not bad to look at either.

Domini blushed at the thought and shook her head, making change for the family in front of her. When two thirteen year old boys approached Evan with a Benji case, she smiled. "Check the inside."

He opened it up and laughed as he pulled out the Basic Instinct video tape. "Nice try guys. I admire your style. Now get outta here!" he barked as they ran. Evan waited until they were gone to laugh.

It felt good to laugh with someone and Domini really felt like she belonged somewhere. She had learned so many things from the people who did not want anything in return from her. When Domini lifted her head, she saw the one person there that night that did not fit in at all.

Max followed her eyeline to the door and cut David off before he could come in. "You're not welcome here anymore," he grinned with satisfaction. "As your _Sire_ I will not allow you."

Halting at the entryway, David growled. "Don't do this, Max."

"Do what? Protect my investment?" he smiled. "I insure all _my_ investments. Just look at my store," Max laughed, walking away.

David stared through the threshold and nodded to Domini with pleading eyes to come out and talk to him.

She almost went to him. Domini had every intention of stepping out for the break she had not yet taken all day. When Evan bumped into her behind the case and profusely apologized for the simple accident, she was reminded of how she should be treated. Domini nodded back to David, making clear that if he wanted to talk, he would have to come to her.

Knowing he could not go inside Max's store, David's eyes pled with her to step outside so he could explain. His eyes moved around the store, shaking his head that there were too many people around for what he had to say.

Every ounce of Domini's will was tested in that moment. She was desperate to receive the apology that David was going to offer up to her. Could there be any reason good enough for not coming to find her all day though? Evan had stayed there with her, after having been up working all night himself. He had done it willingly, without ever being asked. Evan had been there when David should have been. Still, whatever David's reasoning, she wanted to hear it. She deserved the apology fresh off those curling lips that never admitted defeat. Domini's heart raced, knowing that whatever she decided, there would be no turning back from it.

"Max?" Domini said softly. "I know it's busy but..."

He froze, "Yes?" If she wanted to go, he was going to make her say it.

She bit her lip, feeling so small in front of Max. "Well, do you think maybe...I could take you up on that break in your office? Rest a while?" She frowned. "I just, I don't want to see David right now."

It took every ounce of Max's strength not to grin and exclaim his victory in that moment. "Of course, Domini," he said with such tender affection. "You go back and close the door; rest as long as you like."

"Thank you, Max," she nodded, reaching up on tiptoes to give him a grateful hug. She never saw his smirk over her shoulder that was just for David.

David snarled, turned on his heel and stormed through the crowd. He pushed a group of teenagers out of his way as the rest of the crowd parted to give him room to leave. David revved his motor far longer than he had to, hoping Domini could hear it in the back of the store. He could certainly hear her crying when he listened close enough and David found a small bit of satisfaction in it. The first chance he got, David would drain every last drop of blood and tears from Domini's body. In the meantime, someone had to pay. He sat back and waited for the first girl who walked by to eye-fuck him and swept her up onto the back of his bike, heading full throttle toward the darkness beneath the pier.

When he finally got back to the cave, David was far from satisfied. The girl had been so thin she was anorexic. If he had been thinking straight he would have known better. Her anemia left a sour taste in his mouth and an ache in his taut stomach.

He was glad that Dwayne was already gone. David thought it best that his sensitive brother was not there to deflect his fury. He did not want to be stopped.

David tore through the cave and up the stairs to the first floor, swinging open the door so hard it slammed against the wall behind it. "Is our little vampette bat-shit crazy yet?" he seethed.

Sable was pulling at all four ropes, spitting at the mouth and making Marko and Paul stand back awkwardly like they were watching The Exorcist in 3-D.

David nodded. "I'll take that as a yes. How long has it been?"

Marko tipped back the curtain. "Including dead-time for sleep? Maybe sixteen, seventeen hours?"

"Good. I'd say we've found her starting point. Feed her," he snapped.

Backing away slowly, but never turning his back on her, Paul made his way across the hall in the room they had been affectionately referring to all night as The Slaughter Pen. He grabbed hold of the first bound girl who did not scuttle away from him fast enough and hoisted her over his shoulder.

Paul carried her to the room and dropped her at Marko's feet. His brother looked at him with confusion. "Sable's _your_ date. Feed her dinner off _your_ fork, man." He stepped back, not wanting to get any closer to Sable when she was in that state. Paul had learned his lesson. He adored Sable, but the creature frothing at the mouth with starved hunger was not her. When David raised his brow, Paul shook his head. "You didn't hear the mad shit she was spouting before you got here. You _didn't_ hear her, you _don't_ know. Don't judge me, man. She's not cool like this," he crossed his arms, looking away.

Marko rolled his eyes, eager to bring Sable back to him. He hated to see her that way and he knew that somewhere deep down inside, Sable was suffering. She would suffer more after she fed, but then it would be over. Marko would spend the rest of the night making it up to her in any way he could. It was more than his duty, it was his desire.

He gripped the gagged girl by her hair, lifting her up. Marko ignored her thrashing legs that, even bound by rope, kicked with decent effort. He tossed her up over the side of the bed, holding her hair and pushing her down toward Sable's rabidly chomping teeth. Even Marko had to look away as she began to feed with deafening bites.

As Marko watched David's face grimace in disgusted curiosity, he took a peek for himself. "For fuck's sake, baby. There's barely any blood in her cheek," his face contorted. Marko held the girl down lower and craned the screaming girl's neck back for Sable's reach.

"Hey!" he shouted, dropping the girl over Sable's chest. "That was my fucking finger!" he growled, stepping back to nurse his wound, suckling it until it healed back over.

They watched her feed, the thin veil of skin over her blushing back to a healthier pallor. David nodded, biding his time. "Another," he said darkly.

Paul crossed the hall again and brought a fresh girl for her to feed on. He could see Sable's body still writhing over the bed, that time with an aroused hunger. Her eyes remained wild, knowing the packaged meal was for her. "Damn, girl," he said softly as Sable's knee kicked the dead girl toward the side of the bed where she slumped to the floor.

"Give it," Sable snarled.

Paul nodded. "Comin' right up." He brought her to the bedside and held her down, pinning her between them as Sable fed with more control. He stared with pride as she suckled at the girl's neck, draining her until her food stopped trying to escape. "We're gonna need new sheets," he smiled, watching Sable's bloody lips grin at the mess she had made. He had to admit, in Sable's temporary state of sanity, covered in blood and writhing over the mattress, Paul was as aroused as she was. He winked at Sable, "Later, when you're not all fuck-nuts crazy, okay?"

Sable laughed and threw her head back, resting on the pillow. Her whole body was on fire and she could feel every cell in her body awakening with new blood to feed them.

David eyed her carefully. "How do you feel?"

She smiled with satisfaction, knowing she would never again feel the pain of starvation. It had been excruciating and embarrassing to beg for a single drop she knew they would not give her. "Much better. _Sooo_ much better," she cooed, her naked body glistening with fresh blood as her hips rose and fell with contentment.

Marko could feel David look to him. He knew Sable better than any of them. He knew that look in her eye and it was not one of insanity. "She's still good."

David grinned the wild expression of a mad scientist watching his experiment come to life. "Another," he ordered.

Shaking his head and knowing where Sable's oversaturated thirst would lead, he returned to the room across the hall. The girls backed away from him, huddling together like lobsters in a tank, cowering to be lower than the hand that reached for them. "I know," he nodded apologetically. "Just know that you're going to an excellent cause, okay?" He grabbed the closest girl as she wailed and dragged her across the hall by her hair, feet kicking together like a mermaid. He eyed David. "I hope you know what you're doing."

David smirked. "Always."

Paul threw the girl up onto the bed where Sable's mouth clamped down over her neck. She fed with voracious vigor as the men stood back and watched, waiting. The pile beside the bed was growing and there would be a hefty amount of bodies to dispose of at the end of the night. The night was not yet over though.

"Now, how do you feel?" David grinned.

The synapses in her brain began to charge, firing off in every direction with unstoppable speed. "Sooo good!" Sable moaned. Her wild eyes scanned past David toward the room with the open door. "There's _more_," she laughed. "That's what I love about Santa Carla. There's always fucking _more_!"

"Enough," Marko shook his head. "She's done."

David smiled. "She's not done. She's still Sable."

He scowled at him, "I _know_ her and I'm telling you she's _done_."

Jumping up onto the mattress and crossing his ankles, David lay beside Sable. He ran a finger along her thigh leaving a cleared smear through the blood as he brought it to his lips. "Tell me sweetheart, are ya crazy?"

Her body twisted against the ropes, a sweat breaking over her brow. Sable licked her grinning lips and shook her head, resting it against David's cheek. "Crazy hungry," she laughed. "More," she begged.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he teased. "That wasn't my question."

She pulled her head away from him, snarling with furious eyes. "Get off your prima donna _ass_ and go get me that bucket of _bones_!" Sable set off a low growl that had David laughing, but at the same time getting up to move away from her.

Marko moved closer to Sable's side, even as her head began to thrash toward him. "She's done," he said firmly. "Only a crazy person would say that to _you_."

David was pleased by Marko's flattery. "Well played, brother. Well played. But I think she could go another round, don't you?" he asked Paul.

He looked at David and then to Sable. She was licking her lips and moaning like someone was inside her. For all Paul knew, there was a whole other person inside Sable just waiting to kill them all. "No, I think he's right," he said, chewing his lip. "She's done."

"Aw, c'mon, Paul," David teased. "You're always up for a good time. Don't you wanna see how hot this little firecracker can get?" he smirked.

They looked back at Sable as she whimpered, sliding over the blood-soaked sheets. "Please," she begged. "One more. That's all. Just one more and I'll be _so_ good, I promise."

David taunted her with a smirk. "What will you give me for it?"

She moaned softly, losing her patience but too aroused to give up. Sable's smile spread across her blood-stained lips. "I'll suck you off better than any human girl has ever tried."

"Oh yeah?" he grinned at Marko.

"Mmhmm."

David nodded. "_Tell_ me about it." He ignored the roll of Marko's eyes and sat down at the foot of the bed, between her thighs, tracing his finger along her slit as she moaned. "C'mon, girl. Tell me. You appease _my_ appetite and maybe I'll get to yours."

She kept her eyes on David as he touched her so slowly, knowing she was boiling inside. "I'll run my tongue along your cock, slowly drawing up to the tip." If this was all it took to get David to bring her food, Sable could sit back and wait another minute. "I'll wrap my little mouth around that swollen head and suckle you over my tongue." She could see David's arousal and feel him respond as his finger dipped inside her. "I'll take you slowly until you tickle my throat."

"Uh huh," David bit his lip.

Sable moaned softly as his finger slid deeper inside her. "And I'll slowly rake my teeth along your cock, curling the flesh off until..." Sable did not finish. She was laughing too hard; her maniacal cackle so pleased with his fear as he cowered away from her.

"_Fuckin-A_!" David shouted, jumping to his feet and backing himself up until he hit the wall.

Paul knew better than to snicker, but he knew that sane Sable would have belted out a laugh so he let it out, just for her.

Marko grinned with satisfaction. "I told ya she was done."

David snarled as he ran across the room, leapt onto the bed in a crouch and gripped her thigh until his nails drew blood and she screamed. "Drain this fucking bitch, **now**!" He bared his teeth and sunk them deep into her thigh as Sable shrieked.

"No, no, no!" Sable screamed. "It's mine! You gave it to me! **NO**!"

With a stray hand reaching out, David gripped Marko's shirt and pulled him closer, shoving him toward her with warning eyes. Marko could not look at the fear in her face. He knew it would hurt her but it would also bring her back to him. He turned her screams away, holding her opposite cheek to the pillow and sunk his fangs into her neck. Marko waved Paul over, wanting to drain Sable as quickly as possible to have it be finished.

Paul took tentative steps toward Sable, crawling up beside her with a trembling lip he had to bite. "Sorry, Sable," he said softly, baring his fangs.

Sable stopped screaming just long enough to try to save herself. Her eyes narrowed over Paul with a grin, even as the others drank deeply. "Paul, aren't you afraid of drinking in my crazy?" she smirked.

He backed away and slid off the bed, shaking his head. "Nope, don't wanna do it. Call me when you're done," he waved, slipping out into the hallway.

David snickered against her thigh, moaning as the blood of three girls siphoned through the vampire's blood over his tongue. He lifted his smirk to face Sable's teary eyes. "You can thank Domini for my mood tonight," he winked, his fangs piercing the flesh of her opposite thigh as she screamed. He laved his tongue across her flesh, taking his time and draining her slowly as he stopped and started fresh again.

Looking down over her trembling body, Marko could not stand it. He released his lips from Sable's neck and growled at David. "Get the fuck out and find your own."

"What?" David snarled. "I couldn't hear you with your girl's thigh pressed against my ear," he smirked.

"You heard me fine," Marko bit. "Back the fuck off and go play with your human. I'll finish here myself." For good measure, Marko added, "When you have one of your own, you can do whatever the fuck you want. But not to her."

David took a deep breath and looked at Sable, wondering if it was worth it. Marko had made his choice but he had not left David with much of one. His angry eyes flashed back to Marko as he gritted his teeth. "Fine," he spat. David slid off the end of the bed and pushed past Paul in the hallway as he headed back out into the night, determined to destroy everyone who got in his way.

"Get in here, Paul," he said softly as Sable whimpered. When he peeked his head past the doorframe, Marko nodded him in, showing him it was okay. "I can't drain her fast enough by myself. She's so full," he sighed.

Paul chewed at his lip as he slowly made his way back into the room. "Sable?" he whispered, hoping she was in there somewhere.

Her tears fell softly but Sable nodded. "Just get it out," she begged in a whisper. "Just make me whole again."

He took a deep breath and climbed onto the bed. Paul leaned down over her thigh, licking his tongue along her flesh, preparing her for the pinch of his fangs. He slipped them tenderly against her flesh, softly biting through as her thigh rose against his lips with encouragement. Paul smiled, drinking as gently as he could.

Marko's tongue licked across her neck as his fingers danced across her breast. He would make it as painless as possible for Sable. His fingers rubbed her nipple softly, taking the strong nub to a blushed pinch. He could hear her moan as he slid his tongue from her neck to her lips, letting her taste the blood off his kiss.

The rise and fall of Sable's hips called to Paul as he rubbed his finger over the wet satin between her spread thighs. He touched so softly that the only way he knew Sable could feel him was by the tremble of her legs as they collapsed. He rubbed her clit in slow circles, the arch of her back begging for more as she buried her moans against Marko's lips. He slipped his finger inside her and suckled against her thigh, draining the blood that made her head spin. He kept a slow and steady pace inside her, mimicking the tender licks as his tongue lapped against each pinch.

Marko kissed her lips, sliding his body over her as Sable's muscles relaxed. He could hear Paul slip from the room, closing the door behind him and leaving them alone together. Marko kept his lips against hers, reaching for the ropes that bound her arms. He pulled at them, digging through the twine with his nails until he felt her arm collapse over his neck, gently tracing against him.

As her hips rose, beckoning him to fill her now that she was drained to a halfway point, Marko bowed his head. "No," he whispered, tucking her against his body and feeling her weakened arms collapse over him. "That's not why I'm here, baby," he cooed. "Just be with me," Marko offered.

Sable had needed to hear those words even more than Marko had wanted to say them. Her exhausted arms hung over his back, grateful to not be tied and hung anymore. Sable clasped her fingers together, the only part of herself she could bare to move so she could show him how grateful she was. Sable rested there against Marko, safe in his arms, reassured that it was all over. He would not make her hurt any longer, nor would he allow it. They knew her limits and she could exist in the in between with Marko, whole.

He knew this was never the plan. Sable was sacrificed to him for the pleasure of the pack. Once she became his though, Marko could not stand the thought of Sable being nothing but a toy. She was so much more than that. She was his, forever. It was clear that Sable had taken a shine to Paul, and Marko felt no twinge of jealousy he could not overcome because she would always be Marko's. Sable would forever come back to him just as he would always return to her. What they did in the meantime meant nothing when they were tethered together.

Marko was incapable of loving her the way he could have as a mortal but he still had so much he could give her as an immortal. Whether it was pride for having something of his own for the first time, or a twisted sort of redemption, to put her back together after breaking her so badly, it was still the closest thing to love Marko could experience after turning. He could at least offer Sable the bond he shared with his pack: loyalty, devotion and honor. However skewed those qualities were, those traits were the highest offer of the damned.

**_Man alive I hope these twenty pages find you well! Lol I had so much fun writing this chapter, the first half especially. I hope you enjoyed it more though! I have the end in sight, a light (although it could be a blacklight, lol), at the end of this tunnel of madness, but I won't hurry a single page in getting there. Please share your thoughts, your insights or whatever you damn well please! Your feedback satiates my hunger to share this story. Thank you for all the time you have invested in it. And don't forget, if it gets pulled too early, you can always find it again on Archive of Our Own under the same title, same username. I am eternally grateful for all the time you have each invested in this story. I hope I've given enough back. I will continue to try. Xo Harley_**


	25. Chapter 25

**~ Chapter 25 ~**

**_Thank you all so very much for reading and a special thank you to CK for always taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate your feedback so very, very much and I'm stoked that you've been a part of this story since the beginning! I'm glad you liked Domini and Evan and the experiment with Sable and the boys. David and Sable have developed a love/hate relationship and that's definitely his fault. I'm touched that you're enjoying Paul and Sable's relationship. That character really writes itself and makes this story so much fun. It's nice to have comedic relief in an otherwise heavy story. Everything needs balance, right? I'm excited to hear it made you laugh! Marko is finally starting to see the light (pun absolutely intended, lol). We all know how much David loves to see gratitude beaming his way so you're right, it can't last for long. David is a master manipulator and he certainly has his ways of turning everything around. But then, so does Max. It's all about to come to a header. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!_**

******_I'm so sorry that I haven't posted much but I have a four day "staycation" and I'm going to spend it writing. With the holiday coming up and flying out to Dallas_********_the first weekend in December to see my best friend for a kickass time, I want to write as much as I can and get it posted for you. This story is drawing to a close but there are still a few more chapters to pull it all together. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them. Thank you! xo Harley_**

**_THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING NON-CONSENTUAL SEX, EXTREME VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER STORY TO ENJOY. THANK YOU_**!

It was too hard for Domini to sleep in Max's office when her thoughts were so loud. She could not get the pleading look on David's face out of her mind. She could not believe she had found the strength to turn away from him. It had felt empowering and devastating at the same time. Domini's emotions were all over the place and she could not seem to pull herself together. After staying up for over twenty-four hours, she was still too tired to be awake, but too rattled to sleep.

The exuberant noise of Max's all night grand re-opening filled the store, filtering through the closed office door to add sound to the pictures Domini watched on the computer, fed by the cameras. The place was jam-packed with excited teenagers, vying for the prizes Maria was giving away at the entrance. Evan handled the check-outs as they handed over their allowance for movie memorabilia that would last longer than any ride on the Boardwalk. All of the rides had closed hours before anyway. The store was one of the only things open as the moon sunk lower in the sky. With scarce room to move throughout the store's crowds, the one person Domini did not see on the camera was Max.

Her eyes scanned the four quadrants of the computer screen, wondering where he could be. Max was at least a head taller than most everyone there and he should have stuck out like a sore thumb. Max would never leave his own party, especially on such a big night. There was no doubt about it though; he was not in the store.

The brand new RCA dog's camera faced the front door showing that David had long since left. The back wall camera showed a clear path from the office to the checkout where Evan was frantically pushing register buttons, in need of assistance. Domini decided that in Max's absence, her friends would need all the help they could get out there. Just as she reached for the handle to the door, it opened toward her, causing her to jump.

"Hello sweetheart," Max frowned. "I'm sorry I startled you. I was just going to check in on you."

Her hand over her rapidly beating chest, Domini was sure she had just narrowly missed a heart attack. "You scared me half to death," she breathed, more on edge than ever.

"My deepest apologies," Max said sincerely. "I thought you would be asleep. You seemed so upset when you retired; I wanted to make sure you were alright."

She nodded, catching her breath. "I'm okay." Domini was too tired for a heart-to-heart, especially when hers had just received a jarring voltage. "I think I'm just on edge from exhaustion." She looked past Max at the lively store and then back to him. "Where were you just now?"

He smiled down at her, "Trying to keep up with the chaos of the night. I'm so proud of you, Domini. You really came through for me and I will not soon forget it. None of this would be possible without you and Evan. I owe you a great debt of gratitude," he said with warm pride.

Domini smiled back and nodded, but she was slightly distracted. "Of course, Max. It's our pleasure, really. But, just now, before you came to the door – what were you doing?"

Max laughed as he cocked his head, finding her question odd. "I was helping Evan behind the counter." He turned to look back at the frazzled man who was smashing his fingers over the register keys hoping one would open the drawer before he broke it open. "Poor boy is swamped," he smiled. "Do you think you could give him a hand?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered as Domini stared at Evan behind the counter, the same empty space around him that she had seen from the camera's view. Max had not been behind that counter but for the life of her, Domini could not fathom why Max would lie about such a silly thing. He had nothing to gain by making up a story about where he had been the minute before. Domini nodded, still bothered by the bizarre event.

She made her way behind the counter in a daze of slow motions, her tired feet dragging her toward Evan like in a dream. Domini was still unnerved but she could not put her finger on why. Max's lie had been so unsettling, both because he was the last person she expected to lie and because it was a trivial thing to lie about; unless Max was covering up something bigger. It was possible that in the wake of all of Domini's suspicions about Sable and the boys, she was hyper-aware of seeing signs of deception everywhere. There was a quick way to put her mind at ease.

"Hey Evan," she smiled.

He grabbed her into a hug and rested his brow on her shoulder with a laugh. "Man am I glad to see you, girl! This place is a madhouse and I'm drowning here." He let her go and rang up the next person at the front of the growing line.

Domini winced, wondering if Evan had just confirmed Max's deception. "How long have you been up here alone?" she tried to ask casually.

"Barely two minutes," he laughed. Evan shook his head, leaning to her ear. "Max was trying to help me but, between us, I think he was even more overwhelmed than me."

She had seen Evan clearly on that monitor, working alone. Either Max had convinced Evan to lie with him, or Domini was completely losing her mind. "Um, I'll be right back," she said apologetically.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his face panic-stricken.

She looked back at the office door as Max helped a customer in another section of the store. "I just need my register key," she lied, slipping the bracelet band with her key off her wrist and hiding it as she ran to the office.

Domini closed the door and sat behind Max's desk, fumbling over the keyboard arrows to try to rewind the cameras. When the images started to blur and move in reverse, she watched herself on the monitor go back into the office. Domini examined each of the four camera views with careful precision. Max was not on any of them. Her heart raced faster, Domini's mind trying to make sense of what she was seeing, and not seeing at all. It just was not possible. A person could not just be invisible. She rubbed at her eyes, watching herself come into view as she exited the office. Domini kept her eyes on the lower left camera angle, waiting for Max to follow out behind her. He never did. He had never gone in to come out.

"What?" she cringed, her hand shaking as it hovered over the keyboard. The next image on the monitor near that door was her own as she ran into the office to check the tape. "That's impossible!" Domini gasped, pounding her fist on the desk with infuriated confusion. "What the hell is going on?"

The office door swung open causing Domini to jump. Max's tall frame filled her view as she stared up at him with horrified eyes, unable to comprehend the moment she suddenly felt trapped in. Domini rolled the chair back, jumping to her feet. "Max?" she yelped, a question as much as it was an announcement.

"What's wrong?" he worried, having heard her from the main store even with all the commotion of the crowd. "You look sick. Are you alright?"

Domini could feel the walls closing in around her. She wanted to run; to escape. What exactly she was running from, she could not be sure. Domini just knew she had to get away and fast. "I have to go," she stammered, moving from side to side as Max blocked each direction she tried to flee in. "Max please!" she squealed in a panic. "Let me go!"

"What's wrong?" Max demanded, unable to read her eyes. He knew she was scared but he could not imagine what had happened to make her heart pound in his ears.

"I'm sick!" she shouted, powerless to keep her voice at any normal decibel when she was so afraid. Domini's adrenaline spiked with hysterical urgency. "I have to go _now_!"

Her whole body was shaking as she plowed past Max, running through the store and trying to block out the laughter and excitement of the customers. She pushed through them and did not stop as she tore through the Boardwalk masses, running down the stairs and across the sand.

She wanted to escape Max and his concerned face. Domini needed the crowds and their laughter far behind her. Her shaky legs carried her faster as her feet dug through the sand. She would not stop until she reached the ocean with nowhere left to go. When the waves finally came close, Domini gathered the courage to look behind her and make sure Max was not on her heels, tracking her down. She never saw David slip out from the darkness under the pier.

He grabbed her arms, Domini's feet still running so fast that she swung out in front of him as he pulled her back through the air. She kept screaming and shaking until he pushed her down to the sand.

"Domini it's me, stop! _Stop_!" David begged, trying to get her to look at him so she would stop fighting him. He had heard her heartbeat race as the heart of the girl in his arms had slowed to a stop and David had run to Domini immediately. "What happened?"

Her teary eyes finally focused on David, her nails digging into the leather of his coat, trying to hold onto something that made sense. "It's Max!"

"Did he hurt you?" David growled with fear.

"No, something's _wrong_! Listen to me," she rambled,

not caring how incoherent she sounded. "He was right outside but he wasn't there! I couldn't see him but Evan _said_ he was with him! Max _said_ he was there but he _couldn't_ have been because he _wasn't_ _there_!"

"Shhh," he soothed, pulling her to his chest and trying to hold onto Domini as she shook him with her terrified tremble. She was completely hysterical and he could not understand what she was trying to say. "You're okay now, Dom. I'm here. It's okay."

"It's not okay! I'm telling you something's wrong! Nothing makes any sense! Sable is where she shouldn't be and Max _isn't_ there when he _should_ be! What's happening?" Domini cried, collapsing in David's strong arms.

He lifted her up to her weakened legs. David held her close and tried to calm her. "Tell me what happened."

Domini did not know where to start. Her thoughts were all jumbled and her accusations were insane! Sable pretended to burn herself just to blame Domini and faked the injury they all saw? Max and Evan both said he was behind the counter but he was invisible to the camera? Was Evan in on everything? Was there even a conspiracy to be a part of?

"Oh my God, I think I'm losing my mind," she whimpered, her eyes still darting all around. "I think I might really be going crazy. Maybe Marko is behind it all or maybe Max is. I don't know if Sable is a victim of their plans or an accomplice!" Her head whipped back around to face him. "Swear to me, David," she begged him, still gripping his arms with all of her strength. She needed to believe he was not a part of Marko's insane plan or Max's inexplicable disappearing act. Domini felt crazy but she still wanted to hear him say it. "Swear to me that you don't know what's happening!"

David shook his head, looking her in the eye. "I swear on my life, princess. I have _no_ idea what's going on right now." Even if he had possessed a life he could swear on, David still would have sworn it. He truly had no clue what she was going on about. "Just take a deep breath and tell me what's happening so I can help you."

"No, not here," Domini whispered, looking around for Max. "Please, David! Take me back! We need to get out of here! I don't know why. I just know we need to go!"

He nodded, willing to separate Domini from whatever had caused her panic. Anything that put some distance between Max and Domini was a good thing and he would not argue with that. "C'mon, I'll take you home," he said, tucking her under his arm and guiding her toward his bike. David made sure to keep her on his far side, where Domini would not see the waves crawling over the dead girl under the pier.

The whole ride back to the cave, David could feel Domini looking back over her shoulder, making sure they were not being followed. He needed to know what she had seen. Max was not stupid and he would never reveal anything that could give him away to anyone, especially to her. There was only one way David was going to get the truth and Domini was not coherent enough to help.

_What the hell happened back there?_ David's thoughts traveled across the miles of darkened beach, through the crowds and into the depths of Max's mind.

Sitting behind his desk, watching the customers move about the store, Max should have felt elated. He was slumped in his chair, glaring at the monitor he had discovered after Domini had run out. Max did not want to answer David. He felt defeated enough as it was. It was not like ignoring the ring of a phone and pretending you were not there to answer it though. Max covered his eyes in his hands and answered his childe.

_She was watching the monitors when I found her._

David rolled his eyes._ You're worse than she is right now. __**And**__?_

Max had been so careful. Over the centuries he had never once slipped up in front of a mortal. Max was not careless and he was very good at keeping his secret. How could he have been so careless? He might as well hand Domini over to David with a ribbon tied around her neck and a To/From tag. His childe would either have to turn her or kill her, but Domini could not go any longer with that knowledge-turned-weapon inside her. It was over.

_She knows, David. She saw the cameras and she knows that I was not on them._ _Domini __**knows**__._

Max was sure that her generation lived off horror movies enough to put all of the pieces together with the spark of his one mistake. He had no reflection and his image could not be captured. Max never went to the store during the daytime, etc. If dawn was not so close to breaking, Max would have gone to her right then himself to change her.

Even his thoughts expressed his deep sigh. _Do what you have to. Nothing is more important than containing our secret. She cannot leave the cave alive. But she can still be a part of our family. She just will not have the choice I wanted to extend to her._ Max hated himself in that moment, relinquishing the girl who would have been his daughter as he gave her away to his son.

David's eyes smiled, the curl of his lips creeping up to kiss his cheeks. He sent his response out into the world, wishing he could be there to see the crushed look on Max's face as the single word of acceptance crept into his mind.

**_Done_**.

David was reassured by the fact that never once had Domini uttered the word to reveal that she knew what they were. A mortal's first instinct when faced with the supernatural was to blame themselves with a rational explanation of insanity. It was an easier pill to swallow, a smaller jump to make, than the idea that vampires stalked the shadows around them. David did not care what Domini thought. The only thing he was focused on was that his Sire had just handed her over to him on a silver platter.

He could feel her tighten around his waist and David ached inside, riding faster over the sand. He could not waste a single moment. Max never ventured near the cave, finding it uncouth. He saw it as a disgraceful place to dwell, like rats in a hole. Max had always left them to their nefarious ways, the den of iniquity their playground. Given enough time to think about it though, David feared that his Sire could change his mind and make an exception for a special appearance, considering the unique occasion. But with Domini so afraid of him, she would never stop to drink anything Max offered that night and he knew it. That night was all she had left. Domini was David's, to do with as he pleased and there were so many ways she would please him. David had won!

Before they reached the cave's entrance, David's thoughts screamed to his pack. _Clear the way and let us be! No interruptions! Domini becomes ours __**tonight**__! _

He carried her through the tunnel, Domini's soft breath against his neck as she curled in his arms. David could not wait to feel her breath become shallow, hear her heartbeat soften; see her at his feet, begging for direction he could not wait to give. David's blood would course through Domini's veins, invading every cell and dominating her. By the time the sun rose, he would own every inch of the body that she had only let him borrow up until that night. His loins tightened at the thought of her humanity dying and Domini's body becoming more alive than it ever thought possible. He would turn her inside and out and she would love him for it.

David swept her up the stairs and into the room she had first shared with him, giving her body to him when she still had a choice. There was a sort of poetic justice in that.

"Wait here, sugar," David smiled, even as she pawed his arms, begging him to stay. "Shhh," he cooed. "I promise. I'll be right back."

Slipping down the stairs, David could not contain his smirk. The others were confined to the deepest tunnel in the cave and there would be no interruptions. David grabbed the bottle from his trunk, the one he had been saving for Domini, its jewels encrusted with barnacles. When the hotel was swallowed, the quake had tossed it into the ocean, throwing it there by a fit of nature's perfect destruction. The waves had rolled it tenderly over the ocean's floor for years, a sunken treasure it laid upon the shoreline. Out of all the hotel's items thrown away by the earthquake that had returned to its grave, refilling the lobby in memoriam, that bottle of wine was a gift, just for David; one he had waited so long to offer to another.

He removed the sealed cork, taking the bottle to his nose to inhale what no one in a hundred years had ever had the pleasure of. His curled lips kissed the mouth of the bottle as he drank deep, moaning softly over the neck with a hollow echo. His tongue barely licked at his lips, not wasting a single drop of its ripened flavor. It had been worth the wait, just like Domini.

David took a starfish from the net that hung next to the trunk and raked its point across his wrist with an excited moan when the pain stung through him. He tipped his wrist to the mouth of the bottle and squeezed. David watched his blood coat the thirsty lip of the bottle, running down its neck to mix with the sweet wine. He swirled the bottle in small circles, watching the tornado inside funnel the two liquids together until they fused together. One sip from that bottle and, just like the wine and blood, David and Domini would become one.

He leapt up the stairs in one swoop, stalking through the dark hallway with a spring in his step, the bottle with his blood cradled in his arms like a baby. David turned on his heel and marched into the bedroom, locking the door behind him. He felt like a mortal on Prom night, preparing to entice his virginal date to give herself up in a hotel room.

David's excitement grew as he saw her shivering there on the mattress where her best friend had been tied down the night before. They had cleaned up well but David could still smell Sable's scent all over the mattress beneath the fresh sheets. Her arousal and blood permeated the room, lingering and haunting the air like a ghost of the good time. As incredible as Sable had been, her sweet thigh pressed to David's lips, Domini's death-tainted blood would be worlds better. Once he turned her, there would be no part of Domini he could not have at the snap of his fingers. He could go weeks drinking nothing but blood that had been siphoned through her luscious veins. David had to steady himself as he grew hard at the thought.

Domini reached for him, pulling him across the bed to her side where she could hold him and be held in return. David was her rock when everything around her was crumbling down and falling apart. Domini had never felt more lucky than when David had fatefully come upon her by the ocean. Of all the people from that Boardwalk to go missing, David had found her. She was safe in his arms where problems could be solved and no one could hurt her. His arms were her home.

"I don't understand," Domini whispered. "I saw the video of the whole store, David. Max wasn't on it."

David shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. Videos don't lie. They can't."

"I know," she sighed. "But I'm telling you Max wasn't on that tape. How can that be?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he was just out of the camera's view."

"No," she insisted. "He wasn't there at all." Domini held her head.

He brushed her hair softly. "How long have you been awake?"

"Some thirty hours or so," Domini groaned, leaning against his chest. "I don't even want to attempt the math."

David smiled. "Isn't it possible you're completely exhausted? I mean, don't people start hallucinating after a certain point without sleep?"

She nodded. "I suppose. Maybe the mind _can_ play tricks from sleep deprivation. But I didn't see something that wasn't there. I saw _nothing_ where there should have been _something_."

Domini did not even want to get started on what she had seen take place in the bed she then lied in. She had not been as tired the night before. Could she have imagined that too? She felt drained and weak with exhaustion just thinking about it all.

Domini closed her eyes, curling her body up to David's as he lay down with her. She kept herself in a ball beside him, feeling smaller than ever. "Go ahead and say it," she whispered. "I'm crazy."

He smiled and kissed her forehead as she tucked her head beneath his chin. "I think you're tired, nothing more," David reassured her. "Have a drink. It'll settle your nerves."

She could not even open her eyes to look at the bottle she could feel against her arm. "Sleep," she whispered. "I need sleep."

He frowned, desperate to keep the growl down his throat so it could not escape his lips. "Dom, I _really _think you should have a drink. You'll sleep better," he urged. When she did not answer, David nudged her side until she was startled awake again. He straightened out his frown and laced it with concern. "One sip, princess. Trust me," he smiled.

She shook her head, her weak hand pushing the bottle away. "David please," she begged. "Just hold me and let me sleep. We'll figure it all out tomorrow when my head is clear. I can't think now."

How much thought did it take to swallow? David's lip snarled as he stared at the ceiling, listening to her breath become shallow as she fell back asleep. It was not the shallow breath of the dying girl he wanted Domini to be or of the gifted girl Max had offered her as. It was such a waste he could hardly stand it. If Max found out that he had more time he would most definitely rescind his blessing.

David had waited a long time though, longer than he had even known her. He had wanted that moment for years and Domini was the one. He could wait one more night and David would convince her to stay in with him the following night when they awoke. Max would not be expecting her anyway and David would finally turn Domini. It might even be better that way. He wanted her to be awake and aroused with his blood in her veins. He wanted to move inside her, like his blood, and to feel Domini tighten around him when it stole her life; her very last breath a moaning promise offered straight to his lips. He was so close to having her it was like the aching precipice of a climax and all David wanted was to come. Domini could still resist him but he would not hold himself back for anything, not even her.

He slipped his hand over the smooth valley of her stomach, sinking between the warmth of her body and her shorts. His fingertips traced across her soft lips, wanting to kiss them as he touched her. Domini stirred in her sleep as he grazed those sweet folds his tongue thirsted to taste.

David guided her shirt up over her breasts, watching them rise and fall slowly while she slept. His breath ghosted across her skin as his teeth pried back the cup of her bra to reveal her to him. He wrapped his tongue around her nipple and curled his finger inside her. David touched her while his tongue licked, debating whether he should undress her and appease his appetite. Her body tightened around his finger and Domini's breath hitched from its quiet lull.

Even in her sleep, David knew she wanted him. He wondered if he could control her dreams as easily as her body. His finger slid deeper inside her, winding through her and rubbing her with gentle strokes. David kept his eyes on her closed lids, watching the tiny movement behind them as her dreams reflected the arousal he offered her. He guided his way through her, feeling along those tight walls in the dark.

Domini dreamed of the tunnel and her desperate escape. She could feel the walls closing in on her but her fear was laced with desire in ways she could not understand. Her screams that had echoed through the cave became heavy, panting breaths all around her. Those moaning whispers enveloped Domini, touched her with their gasping lips. She could feel them inside her, rubbing her and begging her to moan with them. Despite not being able to see anyone there, Domini could feel every liberty they were taking inside her. Her breath quickened and the walls around her began to close, narrowing the path toward the light ahead.

She felt herself running toward it, afraid of the sound her panting breath would echo, becoming lost amongst the chorus of moans around her. Domini ran toward the light, waiting for the lobby to come into view. She stopped short at the foot of a bed, Sable's arms outstretched inside the coil of ropes that bound her. She was too frozen to turn around, too aroused to turn away. Paul's smile found her as he looked back, his thighs straddling Sable's hips. He nodded her over as Marko leaned in, his grin beckoning her closer. Domini could feel herself being drawn forward despite her still feet, floating toward their hungry smirks.

"David?" she moaned in a frantic whisper, trying to find him inside her dream.

He grinned over her sleeping body, relishing his control of her dream as the only way he could push her thoughts. "I'm right here, princess," David smiled, touching her softly between her thighs. "Can you feel me?"

Domini shuddered beneath his touch. She could hear him and feel him but all she could see was that scene before her. Sable was blindfolded and she was glad her friend was blind to the things Marko and Paul were doing to her. She shut her eyes and opened them again, hoping to wake up.

The view she opened her eyes to inside the dream was of Paul on top of her, Domini's naked body bound to the bed. Sable was gone and she had taken her friend's place. She struggled against her restraints but the fingers moving inside her had all the control.

"David," she whimpered, trying to find sense in her terror. The touch she felt was so good but its source was all wrong. She did not want to see Paul's grin coming closer as he moved inside her. Domini begged for David to burst through that door and save her from his brothers. "David!" she cried out softly.

He loved the fear that trembled her lips, even in her sleep. David could turn her dreams into nightmares or make her nightmare his absolute dream. He had her under this thumb, literally, and David would keep her there until the end of time. When she awoke, he would turn her and they would share the same dream forever.

"Do you want me?" he whispered, kissing along the nape of her neck.

"Help me," she begged, the whispered tell in her sleep.

David grinned, sitting up and sliding her clothes down her body. He parted her thighs and dipped his tongue between them, licking her succulent flesh as she shivered against his lips. He kissed his way up her lean body and pinned her arms out over the mattress, holding her down as the tip of his throbbing cock prepped her slit for his thrust.

She moaned and twisted her wrists in the ropes she knew would not release her. Paul disappeared and David smiled over her in the throes of the confusing dream. Her lips begged for David's touch, wanting to connect with the one thing in her world that could still make sense. Domini ached for him to hold her as his body completed hers.

He pushed slowly inside her, holding back from the hard thrust that gained momentum. David did not want to wake her. He just wanted a piece of her, to control Domini's mortal body one last time before it became rightfully his to own.

He filled her body and Domini moaned with every inch David claimed. She had no fear when he was inside her. Everything felt right when she was under his solid body, wrapped around him. David could make all of her fears subside with one touch and it was the most security she had ever known. Domini did not feel like they were alone though. Something was wrong.

Her eyes darted around the room as Max lurked in the corner, disappearing and reappearing behind the shadows. She could hear Sable calling from somewhere down the hall, lost in the tunnels and afraid. Domini could not find her voice, the muted gag of a nightmare she could not wake from. Did she want to warn David or call for his help? He only smirked over her as he moved inside her, oblivious to everything that was happening right behind his back. Domini struggled against the hold over her wrists but she could not break free.

"Don't fight it," David whispered, grinning over Domini's flinching eyes as she slept and he moved faster inside her. If she had not been so sleep deprived, he supposed that moment would not have been possible. It was a rush to control her body and her dreams at the same time. "Don't fight what you know you want, sugar," he moaned, sinking deeper inside her.

Domini's body was on fire but the impending climax, like the building of terrified adrenaline, was too much to take. "Please, David," she mumbled, lost between the dream and reality, unable to find her way.

"Yes, Domini," he promised, bucking his hips and driving his cock through her again and again. He held her wrists as her body shuddered, aching to come with him.

She could see Marko and Paul as they moved in from behind David. They jumped onto the corners of the mattress, holding the canopy posts as they leaned down over his shoulders, leering and licking their grins like rabid wolves. She tilted her head back, away from their hungry eyes and found Dwayne sitting behind her, holding the ropes like reins as he laughed.

"Oh God!" she cried.

"Yes," David answered her with a panting laugh.

She was going to come despite the three men watching and laughing all around them. "Make them go away," Domini begged.

Every muscle in David's body halted in an instant as he froze inside her. "_Who_," he growled.

"Please," she whimpered, aching just as much for him to move again as she wanted them all to disappear.

David released one of her wrists and gripped her cheeks between his thumb and fingers, squeezing her lips to a pinch. "Tell me _who_ you see," he demanded.

Her head tried to shake but she could not move. "The boys; make them go away."

He snarled and released her face, leaving red marks across her cheeks as he grabbed hold of her wrist again and pinned her down harder. How dare she allow them into her head while he was inside her! David had half a mind to grab the bottle and pour the wine down her throat, making Domini drown on his blood. He could shake her awake to see the real fear in her open eyes, rip wide his vein and feed his blood straight to her lips, washing off the betrayal they spoke. If her dreaming mind wanted his brothers there, David could call them all forth and show her what they could really do to her. Domini had begged him to make them go away but it was her own dirty little mind that had brought them all into it.

David seethed over her, debating which plan to follow. He could feel the deep pull of sleep calling to him as the sun glimpsed the horizon somewhere outside of the hotel and there was no time to waste.

His hands gripped her wrists tighter as he growled and pushed himself off of Domini. He rolled to his side, glaring at her in the darkness as her naked body trembled with fear and unfinished ecstasy. He did not want to rush the arousing anticipation of her turning. The death sleep would claim him soon but he would turn her as soon as it released him. David would wait until they awoke together and then he would turn Domini before she could take her first blink. She would be his and he would make sure she knew it.

He cupped her head and pressed his angry lips to her ear. "You don't let _anyone_ inside here, but _me_," David warned her. He slipped his finger between her thighs, sliding inside her and curling upward as she breathed hard. "You don't let _anyone_ inside _here_, but _me_," David growled. "Not asleep, not awake, not _ever_."

David kept his finger inside her as he fell asleep, a reminder while she slept that she belonged to him. In a matter of hours, when they awoke together, she would believe his threats. David pulled up the flap of his trench coat from the mattress and swept it over them, plunging them into the darkness where they belonged, together.

Only hours later, Domini awoke with a start from a restless sleep, her heart pounding from a nightmare just on the cusp of her memory. It faded away with the first blink of daylight. The heavy curtains kept the sun at bay but she could still see the hint of indirect light hidden behind them.

She turned to David, rubbed her eyes and found him sleeping soundly beside her, his finger tucked between her thighs. Domini felt the lingering nag of a nightmare and she was almost certain he had been in it. She could not remember falling asleep. Had they made up or had she collapsed under the pressure of the insanity that had held her mind in its vice? Domini did not remember making love or why they would have been together when she had been so afraid of what had happened at the store. With every passing minute, Domini seemed to have more questions and less to hold onto.

She watched David for a few minutes, trying to discern if the man she had fallen for so fast was keeping secrets from her like the others seemed to. Domini could not accept that David knew any of things going on in that old hotel. She did not want to believe that he could betray her. She needed someone, _anyone_, on her side. Sable had become just as much of a stranger as the boys and Max was like...nothing she had ever imagined.

She was sure of what she had seen the previous night though, and of what she had not seen. Max had not been on any one of those cameras and Domini knew it. She could not prove it, nor could she make any logical sense out of it. It was not rational and she understood that. But, if David was right and somehow Domini had been so exhausted that she had gotten confused, perhaps she had been wrong about Sable too. Everything in her gut said that nothing was as it seemed and she had to believe that more than she wanted to believe in David.

Rising quietly, Domini winced as she slipped his fingertip from her body, releasing herself. She tip-toed her way across the floor and gathered her clothes from where they had been thrown. She quietly left the room and made her way down to the lobby, finding it empty. The old hotel looked strange in the morning light and Domini realized she had never really seen it that way before. The only other time she had been there during the day was when Sable had gotten sick. The natural skylight had been covered that morning, pitching the lobby into the darkness she was used to seeing it in. Then, in the daylight, the cave took on a life of its own like the morning after a party when the magic was gone and everything just looked a mess. It gave Domini a chill despite the warmth of the day.

She needed to find Sable, to find out if what she had seen had been real or not. Sable had always been her sounding board whenever Domini had a problem and she needed her then more than ever. If she could just pull Sable away from Marko long enough to get through to her, she might be able to get some real answers.

As she crept past the door David slept behind, Domini peered into each room on the first floor, finding them all empty. She supposed Sable and Marko may have taken up on the second floor, wanting some privacy. If Paul really was with them, they would need it. It made Domini feel sicker with each step she took up to the next level. What if they were all in bed together? Could she really go inside to wake Sable? Would she be sleeping in between them? Domini shook away the image in her mind, determined to find an answer, no matter how bad it was. She pushed each door open, finding room after room as empty as she felt.

The third floor had even fewer rooms than the second level had. Parts of the fourth floor had caved into it long ago, filling the beautiful rooms with drywall, furniture and debris. Most of the doors would not even open more than an inch. Some, she could only look through the keyhole to see the damage that barricaded the doors. One by one, Domini pushed the remaining doors open, holding her breath only to release it with both relief and disappointment.

Room 313 was just as empty as all of the others and Domini was ready to move on when something caught her eye. The dresser by the window had a single partially open drawer. She had nearly ignored it but the soft light of the window reflected off something metal inside it, calling to her.

Domini crossed the room and stared down into the top drawer at the metal clasp of an old black messenger bag with apple blossoms emblazoned over the flap. Her body began to tremble as she reached inside, tracing her finger over the fading letters in decorated in pink and green.

Winchester, VA:

Home of the Apple Blossom Festival

Virginia is for lovers!

Her heart skipped a beat even though it was pounding in her chest.

_It couldn't be. It shouldn't be!_

Domini's shaky hand lifted it from the drawer and fell at her feet where she tumbled down beside it, ripping back the flap to reveal the contents she knew only too well; old clothes, cheap make-up, a hairbrush with red and blonde strands still stuck to it, twenty-two dollars in ones and two pictures: the house Domini would never return to and herself as a little girl with the people who had saved her, who she had hoped she would one day meet again. Domini leapt to her feet, grabbing Sable's bag from the drawer and letting it fall to the floor beside her own.

The room began to spin and Domini had to grab hold of the window sill, tearing back the curtain to get enough air to keep her from passing out. She took deep breaths of ocean air, the sun burning her eyes. Domini steadied herself, her hand over her heart as she tried to keep it from pounding right out of her chest.

There was only one way their things could have been moved from their locker to that abandoned room up on the third floor of the old hotel. She felt like a fool for believing the boys had tried to help them, breaking into the locker only to find it empty. They had to have stolen the key. There was no other reason and Domini was fed up with trying to rationalize away all of the strange things that had been happening. The boys had led them there and they were plotting against them. _David_ had led them there and they were all behind whatever plan the girls were now involved in! She had to accept it because the proof was staring her right in the face. Domini was not imagining things. They had stolen from her and lied and hidden the few things the girls owned in the world. They had manipulated them from the very beginning and she did not care why. The only thing that mattered was that their things had been found and Sable was missing and she needed to get out of there before she was too.

Domini stumbled across the room and tore through the hallway. She did not stop to take her things because they no longer mattered. They were from her old life and the only thing Domini wanted to keep from it was Sable. She would have to go and get help, come back to save her; assuming she still wanted to be saved. She had to believe there was still hope. Once Sable knew the truth, it would not matter what kind of thrall Marko had over her. The spell David had over Domini had surely broken the moment she came to her senses. The magic was gone because, like any trick, the illusion was exposed as the lie it had always been.

She took the stairs two at a time, never once looking back over her shoulder to see who might be coming after her. Domini ran as fast as she could through the first floor hallway, down past the door where David slept. She lunged over the steps to the lobby, sliding across the cold floor and smashing into the end of the couch. Domini scrambled to her feet and headed for the tunnel when she closed her eyes and willed herself to stop, to be brave, to find one more answer before she ran away.

David's trench coat was draped over the side of the couch. She knew that she should run and never stop but, if she did, Domini may never know what else he had been hiding; what they had all been planning for so long. She stared up at the quiet stairs, listening to the silence they led to. There was not a sound or a stirring in the whole hotel, just the ambient whir of waves crashing against the outside of the cave.

She kept her wide eyes on the stairs as she fumbled through the pockets of that old coat that had once taken her under its wing, kept her warm and made her feel safe. She could smell David's scent all over it, musk and clove and cigarettes. Her eyes stung with tears as she dug deeper into his pockets, grasping something cold, his lighter and wrinkled paper; an old gas receipt. There was nothing there that could offer any clues as to why David would betray her like that.

She wanted to believe it was all Marko and she could accept that Paul had followed along. But David? She had drowned in those ocean blue eyes, breathed for the curling swell of his lips and melted in his strong arms. Domini had allowed him inside her and she had given him every part of her he had asked for, including her heart. David already had her and he did not need devious plans to make it happen. She had fallen for him willingly and she would have stayed with him forever.

She wiped at her eyes, rubbing the tears away with her angry fists. Domini did not know who she was angrier with, David for betraying her or herself for buying into it. He was good at what he did, she would give David that. He had hooked her and reeled her in effortlessly. She had doubted herself so many times and David had probably counted on that, preyed on her _because_ of that. She had thought Marko was the abusive one, turning Sable in circles without her even knowing it. But David had done the same thing to Domini. Was Dwayne a part of it all too? Had he only pulled her aside for that heartfelt talk to convince her to stay? Her pain turned to strengthened fury with every passing second.

She looked for Dwayne's leather jacket, turning in circles until her eyes landed on another source for clues. Domini grabbed Paul's jacket off the old trunk and turned his pockets inside out; a few video game tokens from the Boardwalk, three joints that she ripped apart and disintegrated with the heel of her boot. There was a wad of rubber-banded scraps of paper with phone numbers and the names of girls who probably cried themselves to sleep when he did not call them back. The last item she found was a small folded Fortune Cookie slip that read: 'You have a natural gift you should share with others' where Paul had scribbled at the end, 'in bed'. Domini tore it in half and threw it to the ground with the lint it clung to.

Was that how they all got their kicks? They lured girls in, used them and then what? Threw them away but kept crap like that?

Domini wanted to tear every useless ornament off that stupid jacket. She reached for the safety pins but froze, staring down at the most curious piece that hung off Paul's jacket. She traced her finger over the small silver dangles with tiny daggers that hung from them. It was not pinned like the rest of his accoutrements. It was stuck into the cloth by a single hook that revealed it as not just a charm, but an earring; one that Domini had an aching feeling she had seen somewhere before. The red stains embedded in the grooves of the metal had her gut in a knot.

It took less than a minute for Domini to realize where she had seen it before and once it hit her, she shot out of the cave and into the late day's sun, seeing everything in a whole new light. She ran across the beach, putting the ocean, the cave and everyone in it far behind her, and fast.

Domini ran toward the Boardwalk, hoping she could make it before anyone knew she was gone. She had to find the Missing Poster with that picture of the girl; the one wearing the earring she was just then running with, clutched tightly in her fist. She had to find it and go to the one person who would believe her; the only man in the world she could still trust...Evan.

**_That Santa Carla sand in Domini's timer is running out fast. The sun is going to set soon and once Max gets a whiff of her mortal heartbeat, no one is going to get in his way - except maybe for David. How fast do you think she can run? It's getting darker by the minute... _**


End file.
